


A Certain Romance

by DragMeDownFuckMeUp



Category: One Direction
Genre: Anal Sex, Footballer Louis, Harry Styles - Freeform, Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, Louis is 38, M/M, Mutual Pining, Olivia is 17, Pining, Rimming, Single Parents, Writer Harry, all types of gay sex!, brief mentions of footie Louis, harry is 36, kid/teen fic, mr cuddles the cat!, secret-ish dating!, sir long john silver the parrot because why not?, the twins are 16, tinder meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-07-01 02:21:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 53,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15764637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragMeDownFuckMeUp/pseuds/DragMeDownFuckMeUp
Summary: They just stand and stare at each other for a moment. He looks over at his tattoos, the way they cover the tan skin of his body. He really does want to get his mouth on them“I mean…” he pauses, moving his hands to Louis face “If nobody but us knew? Could that work?” Harry asks, bringing their lips closerLouis doesn't say anything he just closes the small gap between them and captures Harry's mouth with his own. Tea on the tip of their tongues as Harry pushes Louis backwards against the cupboards behind him“What does this make this then?” Louis asks between kisses“Ours,” Harry mumbles into his neck as he slides his fingers down his sides “If you want it, ours”+++Or the one where Harry and Louis meet on tinder and things are going swimmingly until they realise that their daughters know each other... not only do they know each other, they may or may not be trying to date each other!+++





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! 
> 
> So i’d Love any feedback at all, this is my first post so maybe go a little easy haha I’m planning on putting out a chapter a week! I hope you like.
> 
> The title is taking from the Arctic Monkeys song.
> 
> Texts are in bold.

**Daughters – John Mayer**

There were a lot of things Louis thought he would be doing with his life by the time he reached 38. If you had asked him when he was 16, he would have been adamant that he would be famous. He’d have been a singer or an actor, or ideally, in the West End. He would be married with a lovely family and things would just be pretty wonderful.

 

As it is, he’s a 38 year old drama teacher who is a single dad of 16 year old twins. If that wasn’t bad enough he’s desperately single.

 

He had a bit of a weird stage when he was in his early twenties. He had known since he was 13 that he was gay, he had somehow convinced himself when he hit 22 that he wasn’t sure if he was gay or bi.

 

He pulled the first girl he could, realised very quickly that he was definitely gay. Not that it mattered, it was too late to matter, he had already gotten the girl pregnant and set the path out for the rest of his life without even realising it.

 

Of course he was terrified, it wasn’t what he wanted, not really. It didn’t work with his plan, so his plan needed to change. When the twins were born Louis’ whole life changed, for the better. He fell in love the second he saw their tiny little hands wrapped around his finger.

 

The first 3 months were crazy, he came over to see them every day and spent as much time with them as he could. Claire was their mum, for the first 3 months she seemed to be great at it, they worked well together and Louis thought that contrary to popular belief, he could co-parent with a one night stand.

 

It wasn’t the ideal situation for anyone, but it worked for them, for a while. When Claire got herself a new boyfriend, things seemed to change. Louis noticed more and more that when he came round it would be Claire’s mum there rather than Claire herself.

 

It was 2 weeks before the twins were due to turn 6months old when she left. She told Louis that this was never her plan and as much as she would love to sit and play house with him, she just couldn’t. She moved to Ireland with her new boyfriend promising to ring as much as she could, promising she would come and visit often. In 15 years, she had been over twice. Louis would take the girls over once a year, but she had her own life.

 

She was married and had a 'wonderful' husband now. She was still their mum though. So Louis still keeps up the annual trips for their sake. They are getting to the age that they understand what's going on, they know that this isn’t normal. Louis does all he can to make sure they have what they want and Claire’s family are still in their Lives, it’s just not nice to see them go through that.

 

So no, he isn’t where he would have pictured when he was 16, that doesn’t mean he isn’t happier than he ever thought he could be.

 

“Daaaaad,” Bonnie said as she came into the kitchen. He smiled up at the ceiling

 

“What do you want?” He asks with a small laugh, he had long ago learned that the longer they let the ‘a’ in dad goes on for, the bigger the thing is they want.

 

Although, it’s no longer Barbies and play-doh.

 

“I don’t want anything,” She says wrapping her arms around him “Nothing at all I swear”

 

“Bon, do you think I had a lobotomy over night? What do you want love? Also why don’t you have your shoes on, I am leaving in 3 minutes, with or without you” He laughs

 

“Ok, so,” She says walking out to the hall to grab her boots “Remember Uncle Zayn’s mate Luke?”

 

“No,” He says and she rolls her eyes

 

“You doooo,” she says as Bailey walks in scraping her hair back off her head

 

“What did I say about doing your hair in the kitchen? Come on, I don’t want to be eating hair for the rest of the day, out!” He says gaining an eye roll

 

“Dad you’re not listening” Bonnie says, one boot still in her hand

 

“Sorry, you was saying something about Zayn?” He asks

 

“No, well yes, but no… Luke, he was the lad with Uncle Zayn in Asda last week?” She tells him as he grabs his keys and bag

 

“Bailey, ready?” He shouts back up the stairs as he hands Bonnie her jacket “Did he have a ridiculous hat on?” Louis asks her and she smiles

 

“It wasn’t ridiculous, but yes, that’s him”

 

“Ok, what about him?” Louis asks as they all pile into the car

 

“well,” Bonnie says with a grin

 

“Are you still going on about that?” Bailey asks “He is having some sort of party dad, she wants to go, she somehow thinks that you’re going to let her go to a club where Uncle Zayn’s dodgy mate is having some sort of Old School indie night” this gains Bailey a slap across the arm and a scowl off Bonnie

 

“Don’t say it like that, he isn’t dodgy, he is friends with Uncle Zayn dad you know that” She says

 

“I know that he has worked on his album with him, I wouldn’t call him his friend,” Louis tells her “So is it like an under 18’s night?” He asks and he sees Bailey smirk

 

“Sort of,” Bonnie says

 

“Bailey, why don’t you tell me what she isn’t,” He asks and Bonnie rolls her eyes

 

“He told her he can get her in, even though she is under 18 – but no it's at 5th Ave, it’s a normal night,” She shrugs

 

“What do you mean?” Louis asks, narrowing her eyes at them both “How did he tell you this? Isn’t he like 30?”

 

“Oh you didn’t tell dad he’s been messaging you on Facebook? My bad,” Bailey says with a grin

 

“You’re such a bitch honestly, I told you that you could have come with me, you couldn’t have just played it cool for once? Honestly B, I hate you sometimes” Bonnie says

 

“Firstly, don’t tell your sister you hate her, secondly you’re not going to speak to him again. That’s the last I’m going to hear of it and you’re definitely not going to some shitty bar while a 30 year old hits on you,” Louis points out.

 

If he had it his way he would keep them away from any type of relationship until they are 40. He can't do that though, or so Lottie keeps telling him. Apparently they need to ‘find themselves’ and Louis is too scared to ask what that means.

 

“Fine,” She pouts “it's fine, I will just have no life at all it's fine, just fine dad! Just because you lead a sad lonely life doesn’t mean I have to,” She sighs over dramatically, Louis should shout at her for that, tell her she can't talk to him that way. The thing is, she is so much like him that he finds it hard

 

“I’m not lonely I have my two lovely daughters and our wonderful cat, what more could I ask for?” He says with a grin

 

They pull up outside school, this is the last term they will be doing this. Come July the girls will be off to college and he isn’t sure he is ready for that just yet.

 

“Do you both have everything? I have a free period this afternoon so if you need anything you know where I am” He tells them as they climb out.

 

Bonnie already running off, shouting a goodbye over her should

 

“You ok B?” He asks Bailey who shrugs at him. He throws his arm around her shoulder, normally she would shrug it off, tell him not to while she they’re at school because she is too cool for that these days

 

“I’m fine” She tells him

 

“You know I know when you’re lying right?” He asks

 

“Yeah, I just…” She stops with “it doesn’t matter, I will speak to Aunty Lots later” She says with a smile

 

“What? Why? You can talk to me about anything,” He says, but she already knows that. It's always been fine with them, they talk to him about everything. When you’re a single parent you sort of have to find ways around difficult subjects. When Bonnie started her period Louis thought he was going to die.

 

His first plan was to run to either his mum or Lottie, ask them to handle it. He didn’t, he knew that he needed to make her feel like she was fine with coming to him with anything, so he handled it as best he could.

 

“come on love, what's up?” He asks her

 

“Fine, I just – I’ve sort of met someone,” She says and fuck. Louis wishes he could control his face

 

“You have?” He asks trying to not let his voice break

 

“Yeah it's erm… she’s on my netball team,” She says quietly and well..

 

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting that,” Louis tells her honestly “Are you…?” He asks, not wanting to put words in her mouth

 

“I don’t know, I just know I like her” She says

 

“Well that’s ok, you don’t need to label it until you know. So who is she?” Louis asks

 

“She’s on my netball team like I said,” She tells Louis, “Her name is Olivia and she's so nice,” She says with a light blush on her cheeks

 

“Ok, well you can tell me everything tonight ok? But if you're late because of me I may lose my job!” She smiles, hugging her a little tighter

 

“Ok please can we get pizza?” She asks and who is Louis to say no to that

 

“Obviously! We can't do girl talk without pizza now can we… hey,” He stops her before they get to the door “Does Bon know?” He asks her and she shakes her head “Ok, I mean it might be good to talk to her, if you don’t want to I get that and I won't mention it”

 

“Thanks dad and thanks for like not, hating me” She says and that kills Louis

 

“Why would I hate you? Bailey, it doesn’t matter to me who you are attracted to! And don’t think just because she is a girl I’m going to go any easier on her than if she was a guy! I just want you to be happy!” He tells her

 

She moves closer and wraps her arms around his waist. He doesn’t really know what's just happened. When he came out to his mum it took him about a week. He didn’t know how to word it either. He wonders if it's easier for her because Louis is gay.

 

“I love you” She tells him with a smile

 

“Love you too queen, now, class! Come on!” He tells her.

 

She runs off to her class throwing a wave over her shoulder and shit.

 

Louis babies are no longer babies.

 

**My Little Girl – Jack Johnson**

 

“Liv come on! I cannot come up there again, you have literally 30 seconds and I’m gone!” Harry shouts up stairs

 

“I said I was coming, it’s fine my class doesn’t start until 1!” She says with attitude that Harry is never going to be able to handle

 

“You don’t even have your bag!” He tells her, banging his head against the front door as she runs back upstairs

 

“finally,” He tells her as she rolls her eyes “Do you realise how much shit I would get off your mum if you are late… again!”

 

Harry was 18 when he met Sarah. They had been seeing each other for 4 months when she found out she was pregnant. They both thought their world was going to end.

 

It didn’t, obviously.

 

It was hard though, their relationship lasted a year after Olivia was born. Neither of them were really happy though, but both coming from a broken home they wanted to at least try. There is only so far you can push something.

 

Harry had Olivia every weekend without fail. He would never complain or moan about missing out time with his friends, he loved having her. When it came to school holidays Sarah let him have her for half of it and she would have the other half. It was honestly Harry’s favourite part of the year.

 

When she turned 14 she told them both that she wanted to Live with Harry full time. She said that she loved her mum, loved being there, she just wanted to be with her dad. From the second she was born she had been a daddy’s girl so this didn’t surprise Sarah really, they had a tendency to clash over stupid things.

 

The day the judge allowed it, said that Olivia was old enough to make that decision after a thousand test and interviews and that Harry was in a suitable position to allow that, he cried. Like properly cried! She spends every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday with her mum but apart from that, she has been with Harry ever since.

 

It’s not Sarah was bitter about it… maybe she was. She just wanted Harry to fail. She wanted him to slip up, to do something – anything, so she could take Olivia back. Once she is 18 she can Live where she wants, she will officially be an adult so Sarah is trying to get her back before then, she has never said as much, but Harry knows. Olivia has already told Harry she has no intentions of leaving.

 

Why would you though? Harry does everything for her and they love spending time together. Most weekends, when she isn’t at her mums she is at home playing Scrabble with her dad. No it isn’t cool, but neither of them care.

 

“oh don’t get me started on her," Olivia says as the climb into the car “She tried saying that me missing Netball last week was your fault”

 

“How was it my fault?” Harry asks

 

“Oh god knows, I told her that I needed to go to the doctors, she didn’t even ask why, she just said it's your dads job to make sure you're there,” Olivia says and they both roll their eyes at the same time

 

“Ignore her, I have been for 17 years now” He says with a grin and she laughs “Speaking of Netball, how’s your girlfriend” He says nudging her with his elbow

 

“I didn’t tell you that so you can take the piss out of me and she isn’t my girlfriend” Olivia says

 

“Sure, sure she isn’t” It falls silent for a moment

 

“You looooovvvee her you wana kiiisssss herrrr” Harry mocks making Olivia blush

 

“Daaaaaad don’t be a dick” She says with her head in her hands

 

“Oi, do not call me a dick” He is trying to be serious but he can't help but laugh

 

“She did give me her number though,” Olivia says in a low voice

 

“Really? Liv that’s great, honest, I know I sound like I’m taking the piss… but honestly I’m happy for you! So what's she like?” Harry asks her

 

“Oh god dad, I can't even explain! She is so funny, like she doesn’t even know she’s funny, she just is!” Olivia says turning in her seat a little “And she's so pretty, she has the bluest eyes I think I’ve ever seen, she plays the piano and I swear I think if I ever heard her play I would die” Harry looks over at her and smiles

 

It had taken a long time for her to get there. When she moved in with Harry she had told him she thought she liked girls. He told her it was ok, they had spent the whole night talking about it. He told her that he was bi, it didn’t matter who she liked, it was always going to be ok.

 

However, her mum wasn’t so nice about it.

 

She blamed Harry. She said that Olivia had obviously seen that he had been out on a date with a guy and he had confused her. For a while, Harry believed it. He thought he had somehow influenced her, until Olivia told him she had knew she liked girls since Cally Whitehouse had kissed her in year 3.

 

Since then he had just ignored everything his ex has had to say.

 

“What's her name?” Harry asks dragging his eyes back to the road

 

**Put Your Records On – Corinne Bailey Rae**

 

“Bailey!!!” Bonnie shouts once they are back in the house

 

“Jesus Bon, inside voices yeah?” Louis says

 

“Sorry, she has my homework and I need to get it done before Aunty Lots comes round, she said she would take us shopping” Bonnie says

 

Now Louis knows he can’t complain, she is wanting to do her homework before she leaves the house. He knows she is probably just trying to wrangle some money out of him, but hey if it keeps her doing her work, he isn’t sure he cares.

 

There is a knock at the door as Bailey comes down stairs, passing her books to Bonnie.

 

“I’ll get it” She shouts to Louis as he sticks the kettle on “Dad, it's Uncle Zayn” She says as they both walk into the kitchen

 

“Alright mate” Zayn says taking his jacket off “Do us a tea please” He says as he sits down at the table

 

Louis nods, biting into a banana as he pulls down 4 mugs, he would ask the twins if they want a brew, but they would say no and then end up taking his. So now he just makes it.

 

“Dad, I was wondering if I could get some money,” Bailey says in a hushed voice “I was going to get something new to wear for netball” it takes a second for him to register what she is actually trying to say

 

“Oh… oh yeah, erm… sure,” He pulls his wallet out of his back pocket “How much do you need?” He asks

 

“I don’t know, £30? Maybe?” She asks, Louis knows if he says yes to Bailey, he will have to give the same to Bonnie

 

“Sure, here” He gives her the money “And give that Bon, don’t let her just buy shit with it though please” He tells her as she grins at him walking off. Having twins was hard on his wallet at times.

 

“See you later uncle Zayn” she shouts

 

“See you later B, what was that about?” He asks Louis

 

“before we get on to that, can we talk about how your 30 odd year old mate is messaging my 16 year old daughter?” Louis says, turning round to lean against the kitchen side, waiting for the kettle to boil

 

“What? Who?” Zayn asks

 

“Luke, Is it? I don’t know, but apparently he has been messaging Bon, trying to get her to go some indie night, he told her he would get her in, mate you do realise what I will do if I ever see him again right?” Louis says

 

"Are you taking the piss? Luke? The guy who has been working on the album? What the fuck did he say?" Zayn says, face like thunder as he pulls his phone out

 

"I don’t actually know, i just know he apparently said it didn’t matter that she is under 18 he could get her in, honestly mate what the fuck?" Louis says, passing him a brew

 

"I'm going to fucking kill him, like properly kill him dead!" Zayn says

 

"B, Bon, brew down here for you both" He shouts upstairs

 

"Did she tell you?" Zayn asked

 

"Sort of, she was trying to ask me if she could go and Bailey told me he had been messaging her" Louis says

 

"He's such a little prick" Zayn said

 

"Who's a little prick?" Bailey asks which gets Zayn a kick in the shin off Louis

 

"Luke," Louis says

 

"Oh for god sake dad, can we just drop it now please?" Bonnie says hopping up on the side, cradling the mug in her hands

 

Louis notices Bailey mouth a sorry over to her.

 

"No, no we cannot!" Zayn says and Louis can't help but get amused at the sight of him getting flustered "It would be bad enough if it was a guy your own age but he’s like 34!" Zayn spits

 

"He's creepy!" Zayn adds which gains an eye roll off Bonnie "don’t look at me like that Bon, he's not a good guy," Zayn had been there all the way through, the second the girls had been born he had been hands on. he doesn’t know what he would have done without him.

 

"He seemed nice enough to me," Bonnie says with a smile and now Louis can tell she is trying to wind him up

 

"Well he isn’t, he is a horrible person and i have just text him and told him he needs to stay away," Louis can't help but laugh

 

"It's like you have two dads!" He tells them both

 

"Changing the subject now!! Speaking of two dads," Bonnie says "We have been talking," She says to Louis

 

"we have," Bailey clarifies

 

"Why don’t you get online dating dad?" This time it's Zayn turn to laugh gaining him yet another kick in the shin

 

"Why would i want to do that?" He asks, ignoring the look Zayn gives him

 

"Come on, you're 38 dad, you need to get out there and meet someone! Online dating is great for that," Bailey tells him sipping her tea

 

"We just want you to be happy and i know you say you are happy but wouldn’t you be happier still if you had someone to snuggle up and binge watch Luther with when we are out of a weekend? You deserve the world dad," Bonnie says and Louis chest hurts.

 

"They are right Lou, when was the last time you had a date, and don’t say Dave" Zayn says

 

"God no do not say Dave!" Bailey says

 

"Dull Dave," Bonnie adds

 

"I thought you two had homework to do before Aunty Lottie comes round? Go and do or you’re not going shopping," He tells them as they both hop off the side

 

"Just think about it please dad," Bonnie says with a smile

 

"Here," Zayn says handing them both some money "Don’t spend it on anything stupid and stay away from Luke, both of you!" he warns them. He spoils them. Not that Louis can stop him.

 

"Not a problem," Bailey says, throwing Louis a smile

 

**Personal Jesus – Marilyn Manson**

 

**From Liv: Uncle Ni has asked if I can do a shift tonight, so I will be going straight there after college, he has promised to bring me home. I'll bring us food! What do you fancy?**

 

**To Liv: I'm making fajitas... if you want to pick something up let me know. If not I will wait and we can eat together, tell Ni there is enough for him too. See you later monster xx**

 

**From Liv: I'll have fajitas pleaseeeeee! Love you xx**

 

He smiles at his phone, she has been working with Niall for the past year, he has a small bar that plays Live music. If he is ever short of a musician he brings Liv in. The regulars like her and she loves doing it. He hated the idea at first. Said she was too young, so she wrote a song to spite him and ever since then has let her.

 

The problem is he didn’t know if he was just one of those dads who think their kid is great at everything they do. He didn’t want her to get up there and actually be awful because Harry had his rose tinted glasses on. He needn’t have bothered worrying. Everyone loved her.

 

He sighs as he throws himself back on the sofa and opens his phone.

 

The Tinder app sits looking at him. He sighs as he opens it. He keeps promising himself he won't go back on it. He will find someone the normal way, that way they might stand a better chance of not being a crazy weirdo.

 

He's awkward as hell when it comes to meeting people the 'normal way' though.

 

"No, no, no... No, fuck no.." he says as he swipes with sigh

 

"Ooh maybe," He mumbles to himself

 

_Jake 35 - Manchester_  
_Greater Manchester Police_

I work a lot so it's hard to find a date on these things...

 

Harry smiles at the grinning man with big brown eyes as he clicks on the profile

 

_...I'm also not looking for much. The odd fuck here and there._  
_You know how it is._

 

"Nope!" He says clicking off.

 

He didn’t want that. He's been there, done that.

 

He swipes for a little longer when he freezes.

 

_Louis 38 - Salford_  
_Teacher_

_I don't really know what to put on here..._

 

He stares at his screen, the prettiest blue eyes stare back at him.

 

"Please don't just want sex, please don't just want sex," Harry mumbles as he clicks on his profile

 

_... in all honesty it was my daughters idea to be on here_  
_which might be weird? I don't know, I don't really know what_  
_I want, I guess I've been out of the game a while._

_I have twin daughters - so if that puts you off then fine._  
_I'm a drama teacher and I have a cat named Mr Cuddles._

_Mr Cuddles aside I am macho, like sooooo macho. Totally._

_Oh and I once appeared in an episode of Waterloo road_  
_so I guess you could call me famous._

 

Harry smiles at the screen as he swipes right. That's probably the best profile he has read in a while... not even just because he is pretty!

 

He throws his phone down on the pillow next to him as he fires up Netflix. He knows he will end up searching around for ages but end up watching Friends. Since they put it on Netflix, he had been watching it over from the beginning. You can't beat it.

 

He was watching Joey try and convince Chandler to give him half the money for a fridge when his phone buzzed next to him.

 

_**Tinder: - You have a new match!** _

 

He slides open his phone to his matches.

 

Louis.

 

Harry hates messaging people first. He hates biting the bullet and being the one to do it. So he doesn't. He stares at his screen until he blackness settles in. There sort of an unspoken rule, if someone doesn't send you a message within a minute or so of matching with you, they're not going to. They are on the app when they match with you, if they were going to message they would have already done it.

 

Just as Harry is rambling in his own head his phone pings to life.

 

_**Tinder: Louis messaged you!** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes as we grow up, we forget to have fun. If we are lucky, sometimes we find someone who reminds us that it’s ok to have fun, that you need it, it makes living fun... Harry found Louis and Louis found Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! 
> 
> Second chapter here for you to have a read of, be sure to let me know what you think please! 
> 
> I’m so incredibly pleased with the response that the first chapter got (it’s not exactly blown up or anything, but it means a lot to me) 
> 
> The next chapter is written and read to go, it’s scheduled for next week if you fancy sticking around?
> 
> Once again, thank you!

**I've Just Seen a Face – The Beatles**

Zayn had been gone an hour when he caved and downloaded the app. He had set up his profile and had a mess around. In fairness he didn’t expect anything. Most of the guys he came across had been clearly only after one thing and Louis isn’t sure that's what he wants. He doesn’t even know what it is that he wants.

 

He sighs as he swipes left one after another. It's not that he's picky, he doesn’t really have a type. It's just... they’re not for him.

 

That is, until...

 

 _Harry 36 - Manchester_  
_Writer_

 _I come from Greece and have a thirst for knowledge,_  
_study sculpture at St Martins college._

 _Hiii, I'm Harry._  
_36 from Manchester, have one daughter._

 _I will tell you the important stuff shall I?_  
_I prefer Diet coke to normal coke,_  
_KFC over McDonalds_  
_Rum over Whiskey,_  
_United over City,_  
_The smiths over The Cure_  
_Spider-man over Batman_

_I hate the word moist, but I love the word onomatopoeia._

_Drop me a message._

 

Louis flicked through the pictures, the guy looked tall but broad, his shoulders covered in a scatter of tattoos that appeared to spread over his body. His eyes were a piercing green and he had shoulder length chocolate coloured curls. Plus to top it all off his profile started with Pulp lyrics. What else could he ask for?

 

He swiped right on Harry.

 

**_It's a match!_ **

 

Popped up on his screen. Shit.

 

He opens the message box. He should message him right? right.

 

What does he say? He hasn’t done this in so long. Fuck, he's forgotten how to flirt with pretty boys. He used to be so good at this. When he was 21 he had so much confidence, would just open his mouth and it would just flow out.

 

He stares at the screen for a little while longer before biting his lip, he can so do this.

 

**Hi,**

**I'm Louis... obviously.**

 

He deletes it.

 

**Mate, you're fit.**

 

Deletes it.

 

**Do you come here often?**

 

Deleted!

 

 **I want to sleep with common people**  
**wana sleep with common people,**  
**like you**

 

Deletes that too.

 

"Shit" He mumbles

 

**Hi,**

**I'm Louis, I've been staring at my screen for**   **ages trying to figure out what to say and i**   **honestly came up with nothing! I don't know how these things are supposed to go...**

**So, hi? How're you?**

 

He presses send and breathes out. it might be the worst first message in the world, but he's done it. He sent a message to a stranger that he found attractive on the internet. Because that's not weird at all.

 

Just as he closes his phone it vibrates in his hand

 

_**Tinder: Harry messaged you!** _

 

 **Hi Louis, I'm Harry... obviously!**  
**I'm good thanks, how're you? Yeah i know what you mean. I hate sending the first message for that reason!**

**You up to much?**

 

And just like that, they get talking. It gets easier, Harry tells him all about himself and what he does for a Living, tells him about his parrot and his daughter and honestly Louis is endeared. It's weird because you shouldn't feel a connection to someone you have never met? Right? Isn't that usually how it works? You meet and you know if you like someone? He feels a connection with Harry though, he doesn't remember the last time this happened in person let alone online.

 

His stomach twists into a million knots as they talk. His skin tingles as he brings his lip into his mouth as he smiles at the message that fly back any forward between them until;

 

**This may be weird and you can say no if you like, but would you maybe like to swap numbers?**

 

Closely followed by

 

**Honestly if you don't want to, it's cool! I just thought it might be easier to talk**

 

And then

 

**I don't know why it would be easier, like it would be exactly the same, sorry I'm really bad at this.**

 

Louis can't help the grin that spreads across his face

 

**I mean that's a bit forward don't you think?**

 

He sends, immediately followed with

 

**I'm only joking. Wish I could have seen your face though that would have been hilarious 07856974521**

 

He smiles as he presses send. The front door going as he does.

 

"We are homeeee!" Lottie shouts as they come rushing into the front room with bags upon bags in their hands

 

"Hello, have a nice time?" He asks as Lottie throws herself down next to him

 

"We did, your daughters can shop more than me, you know that right?" She asks him "I forget how much younger than me they are sometimes"

 

"You are not that old," Bailey tells her as she starts pulling things out of bags

 

"we bought you something," Bonnie tells Louis

 

"Me? Why?" He asks as he phone vibrates in his hand

 

"Because, we told you that you need to get back out there, which means, new clothes," She tells him handing him a bag

 

"And what's wrong with the clothes I own?" He asks

 

"No offence Lou, but these days you have two looks. Teacher and Chav! What happened to the days that you used to care about how you dressed?" She whines next to him

 

"Just because you’re a stylist to the stars doesn’t mean you get to style me, I like how I dress!" He tells them all

 

"You should dress more like Zayn," Lottie says getting 'oohh yeah's' from the girls.

 

He rolls his eyes as he picks up him phone

 

**From Unknown: You’re evil. Pure evil. This is what my face looked like.**

 

Attached was a picture of the guy from online, but he somehow looked more real. His hair was scraped back and he was pulling a ridiculous face and Louis can't help but burst out laughing, he ignores the looks that the three girls give him and saves Harry's number in his phone.

 

**To Harry: Oh man, if I had of known that giving you my number would get me this sort of content I'd have given it to you sooner.**

**p.s I'm sorry!**

 

He puts his phone down on the table, looking down at the years old band shirt he is wearing and sighs.

 

"Fine, let me see what you bought" he says asking for the bag.

 

To be fair, the stuff they picked out is stuff he would have picked out himself, he just wasn't sure he could pull it off anymore. He had to try right? He didn't mind that he looked like a teacher, he is a teacher, he would just hate to be stuck with that.

 

"Who's Harry?" Lottie asks as Bailey and Bonnie show him item after item that they bought themselves

 

"hmm?" Louis says looking over at Lottie who has his phone in his hand he feels the blush creep in straight away

 

"Louis William Tomlinson do you have a boyfriend that you are hiding from me?" She says with a laugh as he snatches it from her hand

 

"I do not have a boyfriend, keep your grubby little mits to yourself," He tells her

 

"Who is Harry then?" Bonnie asks with smirk while Bailey laughs

 

"You know what? I'm going to order some food and you lot can piss off if you think you're getting any!" He says standing up with a huff, causing them all to fall about laughing

 

**From Harry: Oh yeah, you can look forward to more of that. So Louis 38, the teacher with two kids, what are you up to? H x**

 

Louis bites his lip as he reads the text, eyes keep travelling back to the 'x' it's crazy he feels like a teenager again.

 

**To Harry: Well, Harry 36, the Writer with one kid, i'm currently being teased by my kids for apparently looking too much like a teacher. I seem to be their new project. Girls, eh? What about you? x**

 

He spends more time than he should contemplating sending the 'x' but he does anyway. Bringing up the Deliveroo app, he picks something for them all to eat, doesn't even bother checking with them. He knows what they're like, they will eat anything

 

"I've ordered food" He shouts "It will be here in like 45minutes if you want to go and change, Lots you're very welcome to stay" He adds

 

**From Harry: Send me a picture of what you look like right now. Don’t sneak off and change, it has to be you, right now! H x**

 

He catches a glimpse of himself in the microwave door. he couldn't possible send him a picture of him looking like this.

 

His hair is pushed off his head and sticking up in a million different directions from where he had been playing with it. His glasses resting on his face, he didn't even have his contacts in. He looks down at himself, the smiths shirt he is wearing looks older than his kids and he is wearing trackies. He couldn't possibly send a picture to someone as good looking as Harry when he looked like this.

 

**To Harry: Nah, you'd honestly be repulsed! It's been a long day and I'm wearing every second of it haha x**

 

**Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Smiths**

 

Harry frowned at his phone. Usually people give him the run around like this when they were trying to catfish him. He looks back at the pictures on Tinder. The man in them is incredibly good looking. Like, make you stop breathing good looking. It's just Harry's luck that he would be fake.

 

**To Louis: Come onnnn, promise not to judge if you look like shit! I look like shit myself, as you have already saw. H x**

 

He presses send as he goes back to chopping up the onions before throwing them in the pan. He hates chopping onions, it doesn't just make him look like he has been crying it makes him all red and blotchy.

 

**From Louis: Fine, but you asked for it!!**

 

Harry breathes in before opening the picture.

 

He doesn't know what he was expecting. Probably someone completely different to the guy in the pictures, but what he gets makes him grin from ear to ear.

 

Louis is frowning at him and holding up his middle finger, he has glasses on that look like they are sliding down his nose ever so slightly, he hair is shaved at the sides and longer at the top and Harry can see that he is greying slightly round his ears. He does look a little tired but Harry could hands down say he is the hottest guy he thinks he has ever spoken to.

 

Plus he has a smiths shirt on.

 

**To Louis: Fuck. Well you might be the best looking guy I've ever seen in a Smiths t-shirt... and I've seen a lot of guys in smiths shirts! H x**

 

Is what he sends.

 

What he wanted to do was asking on a date. Harry is too chicken for that!

 

The conversation flowed easily between them, it’s like they had known each other years. Harry told Louis about his writing and how, even though he loved being able to write for a living he sometimes went stir crazy and would do anything to get out of the house.

 

It wasn’t a hint.

 

At least, it wasn’t a hint that Louis was picking up on!

 

They flirted back and forth, it felt like they were school kids. He loved it.

 

“So going to tell us what’s got you all smiley with your phone glued to your hand?” Olivia asked before taking a bite of her food “great chicken by the way”

 

“Amazing chicken, honestly H, best fajitas I’ve ever had!” Niall added and Harry couldn’t help but roll his eyes, Niall said that every time he ate here

 

“Nothing, just a few writing ideas that I wanted to get down while I think about them” Harry lies

 

“Hmm.. sure, sure” Olivia says eyeing him

 

“Don’t look at me like that Liv!” He says, unable to stop the smile spreading!

 

And that’s pretty much how he spends the rest of the week exchanging texts with Louis and dodging his daughters watchful eye! It’s not like she would mind, fuck, she’d probably be happy for him. It’s just, he didn’t know what this was yet and he didn’t want to ruin it before it began.

 

It’s Sarah’s weekend to have Olivia and honestly, Harry sort of hates it. He would love nothing more than to spend the weekend watching shit telly while Olivia waffles on about how great the girl in her netball class is.

 

He could ask Louis out. He could bite the bullet and be the one to ask him, but that would involve him actually doing something productive with his life and he’s pretty sure at this point he is allergic to that. So instead, he does what any other self-respecting 36-year-old would do.

 

He gets drunk on cheap rum and watches when Harry met Sally.

 

And then The Notebook.

 

**To Louis: where do you stand on rom-coms? X**

 

**From Louis: depends 90s rom-coms, love them! Anything past like 2004, not a fan! Except The Proposal! Mainly for Ryan Reynolds though x**

 

**To Louis: I watched The Notebook alone and cried! Please tell me you’re doing something a lot more cool? X**

 

He attaches a picture of himself pouting, and cuddled into a pillow

 

**From Louis: is it weird to say you look hot while pouting? Not much, girls are at their grans for the weekend so I’m marking papers... the more I drink, the better the marks!**

 

Harry tries to ignore the fact that Louis said he looked hot. He can totally ignore that. He can, he’s an adult!

 

Except, he’s not sure that he can.

 

**To Louis: so you’re alone right now? X**

 

He presses send, bottom lip pinched between his teeth.

 

**From Louis: I am, is this how horror films start? Are you in my garden? :o are you the one who has been going through my bins Harold? X**

 

He smiles at the response. He feels warm from the rum.

 

**To Louis: yes. I thought that was an understanding we had? I go through your bins and you pretend not to know? X**

 

He presses send

 

**To Louis: no, what I actually wanted to ask was if I could ring you?**

 

Harry had been thinking about this for a while, he had been drying to hear Louis’s voice. He had imagined all sorts in his head and it was driving him crazy

 

His phone flashed in front of him, Louis name on the front

 

“Hello?” He said into the speaker like he didn’t know who was calling

 

“Hello,” Louis repeated back and Harry couldn’t help but laughs.

 

Great he’s giggling like a fucking school girl

 

“Well the laughs are easy from you eh?” Louis said and Harry was fucked. His voice went straight to his dick. Now, it could be the rum or it could be the fact that he had been wanking to the image he created of naked Louis in his head all week

 

“Sorry I’m a tad tipsy and this is weird! I’ve never done this before,” Harry tells him

 

“You’ve never had a conversation on the phone before?” Louis asks

 

“Don’t be a twat you know what I mean,” Harry says and this time Louis laughs

 

“Quite the dirty mouth, I like it,”

 

“I bet you do” comes out of Harry’s mouth before he can stop it “shit” he mumbles “Sorry”

 

**Temporary Fix – One Direction**

 

Louis couldn’t help but laugh. Harry’s low, deep, velvety voice was made to say things like that, he can tell.

 

“No, please don’t apologise - it’s the truth” Louis says with liquid confidence

 

“Oh yeah?” Harry asks and he can practically hear the smirk in his voice

 

“Who doesn’t love a dirty mouth!” He tries not to over think it.

 

He puts his books on the table in front of him, laying back onto the sofa as he listens to Harry’s voice

 

“You up to much?” Louis asks

 

“No really, just watching some shit on telly! Should probably go to sleep soon, I've gotten to the point of being a warm happy drunk now” Harry tells him

 

“Yeah, me too. Like my insides feel all tingly!” He bites his lip and closes his eyes “probably just wank and sleep” and there he’s said it. It’s out.

 

“And I’m the one with the filthy mouth?” Harry says with a fake gasp. Or what Louis hopes is a fake gasp!

 

“Well what else am I supposed to do with my night?” Louis asks with a laugh

 

“Come round here?” Harry says.

 

Louis freezes. Ok he was going for phone sex. That was his aim right? Did Harry think he was hinting for more? Was he hinting for more?

 

“If you want to that is,” Harry adds. He doesn’t take it back though

 

“You want me to come round?” Louis says

 

“If you want to, why not? We are both alone and single right?” Harry says and Louis can’t help but feel turned on and disappointed all at the same time

 

On one hand, fuck he really wants to go round! He’s seen too many pictures of Harry’s mouth not to imagine it round him! On the other hand, he now knows what Harry wants. At least the other guys on Tinder had been more open about what they wanted.

 

He’s basically just wasted a week of his life on someone who wants a quick fuck.

 

“Yeah, I’m not really the one night stand kind of guy - didn’t end how I wanted it too last time” Louis said with a low chuckle

 

“Who said anything about a one night stand? I’m not being funny Lou, I’m 36 - I’m hardly the one night stand kind of guy,” Harry tells him

 

“You’d be surprised how little age matters,” Louis says

 

“I guess that’s true, come on! I promise then, will be strictly PC! But we are both free tonight, we could drink cheap wine and watch 90s rom-coms!” Louis grins

 

“Like a date?” Louis asks

 

“Yes! Only without the awkwardness of worrying about what to wear or how our hair looks! It will be so chill! Come on, you can meet my parrot,” and that was it. That’s all it took, promise of cheap wine and the meeting of a Parrot.

 

He climbed into the taxi and give the driver Harry's address. Turns out he doesn’t Live that far from him. His heart is beating hard against his chest as he climbs out of the car, bottle of vodka under his arm. Just in case. He has his hoody pulled up and he honestly feels like a teenager.

 

He knocks on twice dancing from one foot to the other until the door opens slowly.

 

Louis had never believed in love at first sight, never fell for all that crap. Until now.

 

He’s seen Harry before, seen his smile, his eyes, just him. But having him here in front of him was something else. He made Louis forget where he was for a second. He stood, staring before Harry finally spoke

 

“Do you want to come in? Or are you just going to stand there like an elf of some sort?” He says with a smirk

 

“Elf? Fuck you! I’m 5’9 I’m a perfectly normal height,” he says as he hands Harry the vodka

 

“You’re not 5’9, but it’s nice that you have ambitions... hi, by the way” Harry says stopping in front of Louis, taking his hood down

 

**A Certain Romance – Arctic Monkeys**

 

“Hi” Louis voice is barely a whisper as Harry’s fingers push his fringe out of his face

 

“Drink?” He asks, Louis nods and follows him through to the kitchen

 

“So this is Sir Long John Silver,” Harry says, as they pass the cage on their way past

 

“Wow he’s beautiful,” Louis says as he steps closer to the cage

 

The curious grey bird moves closer to Louis “Oh well they might wear classic Reeboks” the bird chirps as Louis takes a step back

 

“What the fuck” Louis mumbles looking at Harry

 

“Of knackered converse or tracky bottoms tucked in socks” the bird brokenly chirps once more and Louis stands with his mouth open

 

“You ok?” Harry asks with a laugh

 

“Did he... did he just sing Arctic Monkeys at me?” Louis ask with a smile

 

“He did, he’s a clever boy aren’t you!” Harry says moving closer to the cage

 

“Clever boy” the parrot repeats and Louis bursts out laughing

 

“Fucking hell that's brilliant! What else does he sing?!” Louis ask, putting his hand in Harry’s shoulder

 

“He usually repeats what he’s heard, was listening to Arctic Monkeys earlier and I guess he remembered! He picks bits of anything up don’t you my love” Harry whispers to the bird as he comes closer

 

“My love my love” the bird says

 

“That is... fuck my cat won’t even stop scratching the wall when I tell him too,” Louis tells Harry

 

“Cat sounds like a bit of a pain to be honest, I wonder where he gets that from!” Harry says with a wink “Come on let’s get you a drink”

 

**Like Real People Do - Hozier**

 

They have been sat in Harry’s sofa for an hour, they have gotten through a bottle and a half of wine and it’s safe to say they’re both past tipsy!

 

“Come onnnnn,” Louis whines and Harry is sure it’s the cutest thing he has ever seen “it’s your turn”

 

“Fine! Never have I ever...” he pauses to look round the room “gotten hard in a church,” Harry says “like a wedding or funeral... not like in an exorcist type of way”

 

Louis rolls his eyes before bringing his glass to hips lips, closely followed by Harry. The both fall about laughing and it’s nice. It’s more than nice

 

“Never have I everrrrr... fucked someone I met online,” Louis says. Not taking his eyes off Harry.

 

Neither of them move their glasses. They just stare. Eyes flicking between the others mouth and back up to their eyes.

 

“Fuck,” Louis mumbles before surging forward, smacking his lips against Harry’s. It’s quick and sloppy, Louis pulls back “Sorry, I shouldn’t have.. sorry” he puts his glass down

 

Harry watches him. Spit coating his bottom lip. He wants him.

 

“Lou,” he whispers, bringing his attention back to him

 

He moves closer, slowly bringing their lips together this time. A small moan falling from Louis lips as he opens his mouth to let their tongues meet. Louis tastes like cheap wine. A tang on the tip of his tongue as Harry sucks it into his mouth. Louis moving up onto his knees to move along the sofa. A knee moving either side of Harry’s thighs. His hands move to rest of Louis hips as Louis fingers pull the bobble keeping Harry's hair up so he can wrap his fingers into his curls

 

“This ok?” Louis asks breaking the kiss

 

“Hmm, yes! Fuck,” Harry stops himself for a moment “I don’t want to sound like a presumptuous dick, but, bed?” He asks

 

“Fuck, please,” Louis groans bringing their mouths together once more

 

Harry pushes himself up, grabbing Louis hand in his own and pulling him along.

 

“I know now isn't the time, but you have a lovely home” Louis tells him as he pushes him against the bedroom door, closing it behind him

 

“Thanks, decorated to myself - off” he mumbles into Louis neck as he pulls as his top, throwing it over the Side of the room moving his lips slowly down his chest

 

“I promise you,” Harry whispers, bring his face back up to Louis, “I’m going to get my mouth on every one of these,” he runs his fingers over his ‘it is what it is’ tattoo watching as he shivers under his touch “but first I need to get my mouth on you!”

 

“How are you still clothed!” Louis asks with a laugh, pushing him back towards his bed

 

Harry takes his top off, getting his arm stuck as he tries to take it off. Louis can’t help but laugh.

 

“Don’t tell me I’m not majestic,” Harry says with a smirk bringing Louis face back up to his “fuck you’re so hot, how are you so hot?” Harry mumbles, watching Louis shiver for him once more

 

“Says fucking Mick Jagger reincarnated,” Louis tells him and Harry laughs against his neck

 

“Want me to roll your stones baby?” He says with a laugh

 

“Fuck, that makes no sense at all but it was so hot and, shit,” Louis winces as Harry sinks his teeth into his shoulder “please, please” he whines

 

Harry pushes Louis back onto his bed, dragging his trackies and boxers down in one go, watching as his cock springs back against his stomach

 

“Fuck” Harry practically growls as he looks up at Louis, thick and leaking onto his stomach

 

“I haven’t.. like, trimmed or.. shit,” he is stopped when Harry’s tongue runs over him “fuck me, that mouth” he moans, sitting back up on his arms

 

Harry looks up at him, his head falls back as his hips rock up, pushing his cock a little deeper into Harry’s mouth. He tries his best to take every bit of him, feeling himself harden in his boxers

 

He moves a hand down to palm himself, easing a little tension that’s building causing him to moan around Louis.

 

**Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood**

 

His fingers make their way into his hair, twisting his curls between his fingers and holding them on the top of his head. One hand moving to Harry’s face, thumb wiping up the spit that is dripping down his chin. Harry watches as he brings his thumb up between his lips and sucks

 

“Fuck” Harry says as he pops off Louis “will you fuck me?” Harry says in a mumbled rush moving up and pushing Louis back, making him moan as their lips meet once more “Yeah? Like how you taste on me?” Harry asks, he isn’t even sure where it came from

 

“You’re.. Fuck, you’re something else,” Louis says as he moves his hand inside of his boxers “so fucking big, Jesus Christ,” he says and Harry can’t miss the way his eyes widen slightly

 

“Please Lou, please fuck me” he practically begs

 

“Fuck Yeah, Yeah babe I got you” Louis whispers “where’s your stuff?” He asks breaking off their kiss, Harry just points to the bedside table

 

Louis rolls away from him to grab lube and a condom from Harry’s bedside table, taking a moment to breathe. He has this fucking incredible guy laid out asking him to fuck him.

 

How did he get here?

 

He moves back to Harry who has now lost his boxers and his hands have found their way to the base of his cock.

 

He’s big. Louis feels full just looking at him

 

“I’m going to fuck you! I’m going to make you see stars,” He whispers into Harry’s ear “but next time,” he takes his ear lobe in between his teeth, nibbling lightly “next time, I am riding that” he says with a smirk

 

“Don’t,” Harry moans “you say shit like that and I’m not going to last” he laughs

 

“Hands and knees?” He asks kissing him once more. He nods, shifting himself for Louis and fuck he looks good

 

“Hey... can i?” He doesn’t finish his sentence before Harry is nodding

 

He moves his hands over Harry’s cheeks, pushing him open so he can run his tongue over his hole. Harry moans into his pillow as Louis pushes his face further, tongue easing in ever so slightly as Louis soaks Harry.

 

He coats one finger as he pushes in alongside his tongue, Harry pushing back against him

 

“More please Lou, more” he moans as Louis slides the second fingers in, twisting them both round slowly in and out

 

“Kiss me, let me... fuck let me taste” Harry says, moving himself a little. He can’t help but groan, who even is this guy?

 

Louis slides next to him, fingers still moving closer. Easing over Harry’s prostate as they kiss. It’s hot and messy and Louis loves every second of it!

 

“Give me another,” Harry gasps between kisses, Louis eases his third finger as he bites Harry’s bottom lip “fuck you need to fuck me! I don’t care how ready I am! Need it Lou, please please” Harry begs Louis cock twitches beneath him, his scissors his fingers as he adds the third

 

“How badly do you want it baby?” Louis asks softly

 

“I need. Need it Louis please so badly” Harry says biting his arm as he pushes back against Louis fingers

 

“Ok, I got you love" He slides his fingers out. Wiping them on his trackies at the side of him.

 

He slides the condom on, he’s more sensitive then he thinks he’s ever been. He knows as he slicks himself up that he isn’t going to last long when he’s inside Harry

 

“Please,” he moans his head buried in the crook of his arm

 

“Ok, ok.. ready babe?” Love asks as he lines himself up

 

Harry doesn’t answer in words, he just pushes himself back against Louis. Louis glides forward slowly pushing himself him

 

“Fuck ok? You ok? You’re so tight Harry,” Louis says with a groan

 

“More, need more please fuck me Lou! Need you to move” Harry says over his shoulder so he does he slowly picks up the pace, Harry’s moans spurring him on

 

“Yes harder,”he moans into his pillow and who is Louis to turn down a pretty moaning boy?

 

“Like this baby?” He asks as he slams into Harry making him throw his head black

 

“Yes oh god you’re there, shit” Harry moans pushing himself back a little

 

Louis grabs his shoulders, helping pull him up. One hand round his waist holding him while he fucks him, the other wrapped round his cock.

 

He moves his lips to Harry’s ears, as his pleas turn into incoherent noises. “Come for me baby, come while I’m deep in you, feel me fill you” he whispers as Harry throws his head back resting it against Louis shoulder mover his hand to the back of his head pulling the bit of hair he can grab as they twist around each other’s bodies

 

“Gona.. fuck oh fuck Louis fuck” Harry moans as he spills into Louis fist. He clenches around Louis as he comes, pushing Louis over the edge, he teeth drag along Harry’s neck as he comes.

 

“Fuck fuck” Harry moans falling forward, Louis landing on top of him

 

“You ok?” He whispers to Harry when he finally gets his breathe back “Harry?” He ask as he eases himself out of Harry slowly

 

“Hmm..” he mumbles

 

“Hey love, I’m just going to grab a cloth ok, I'll be back in a minute” he kisses Harry once on his temple as he throws the condom into the bin and heads to looks for a cloth. He cleans himself up as he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Purple bruises already forming along his collar bone.

 

He cleans Harry up slowly as he comes round “as if you cleaned me up” he whispers, wrapping his fingers around Louis’ as he wipes down his chest

 

“You was a little sticky love” Louis tells him

 

“Thank you” Harry mumbles while making grabby hands in Louis general direction “come lay here with me” 

 

He doesn’t say anything as he curls up beside him, he feels light and float as Harry wraps her arm around his middle, pulling him closer. It’s not long before he is a sleep, gently snoring beside Louis and he can’t help himself as he drifts off to sleep with a smile on his face.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Beautiful Soul – Jesse McCartney**  
  
The first thing Harry did when he woke up was curse himself for not closing the blinds before he fell asleep. The harsh light of the sun climbs his face as he squints between his fingers, rubbing his eyes as he tries  to drag himself out of sleep.

  
  
The second thing Harry does is freeze. His body stiffens as he feels someone shift at the side of him. Slowly, the night comes back to him, Louis, the wine, the kisses, the vodka, Louis… 

  
  
He glances over at the man sleeping next to him, his face soft and care free as his mouth hangs open slightly. His fringe is soft against his forehead and Harry practically has to sit on his hands to stop from pushing it out of his eyes and stroking his face.

  
  
What if he’s fucked it up? He may not have known Louis long, but he has known him long enough to know he wants more than a quickie with him, a one night stand really isn’t what he had planned.

  
  
He slides out of bed, eyes still half closed as he searches for his shirt on the floor. Grabbing the first thing he finds he throws it on and sneaks out of the room as quietly as he can, not wanting to wake Louis.

  
  
He leans against the kitchen side as the kettle boils and he can't help the smile that spreads across his face. It's been a long time since someone who wasn’t family made him smile. It's not like he didn’t date, he did, it was just hard. Most guys he met didn’t seem to be ok with Olivia and seeing as though she was Harry’s main priority it never lasted. 

  
  
Louis is different though, he has kids himself. He is a single dad. He gets it.

  
  
He takes out two mugs throwing in the tea bags as he checks his phone

   
  
**From Liv: I swear this woman gets more obnoxious every time I see her. Hope you’re having fun playing scrabble without me. I have a netball game on Thursday can you come? Mum said if you couldn’t make it she would come. See you tomorrow xx**

  
  
**To Liv: Course I’ll be there monster. Your mum can still come too if you want her to, you know I don’t have a problem with that! She’s your mum Liv, try and enjoy it love! We will have a marathon game of Scrabble tomorrow, promise! Love you xx**  


  
He smiles at his phone, Liv is with him the same way he is with his mum. He loves that. He would do anything for her and he knows she would do anything for him, he finds it hard to imagine a life without her.  

  
He doesn’t know how Louis takes his tea so he adds a little milk, his mum always told him you can add more but you can't take it away. He walks back up the stairs slowly, the last thing he needs Is to burn himself.

  
  
When he nudges the door open with his hip he sees Louis sat up in the bed, hair in a million directions. He ignores the thump of his heart as he Louis smiles at him.

  
  
“Morning,” He says in a voice that is killing Harry already “Is that for me?” He asks as Harry hands over the mug

  
  
“Yeah, didn’t know how you took it, so I just guessed” He says with a smile.

  
  
Neither of them says anything as Harry climbs back into bed. It's awkward for a moment of two before Louis turns to him

  
  
“Ok, so I don’t do this often and by how awkward you look right now, I guess you don’t either?” Louis asks with a laugh

  
  
Harry laughs, resting his head back on the headboard behind him “No, this isn’t really me,” he smiles “I don’t know how to do this bit” He admits

  
  
“me either to be honest, it doesn’t need to be awkward, though right? I mean I like you, we had fun? If you want me to leave them just tell me and I will take your underwear off and leave” Louis laughs

  
  
“You're wearing my underwear?” Harry asks with a smirk

  
  
“Yeah, mine are… well they should probably be destroyed!” He tells him 

  
  
“How about we finish these and then I make you some breakfast? We can stick something on Netflix and just chill? Unless you have plans today?” Harry asks

 

  
“Nope, no plans, kids are home tomorrow so I’m free until then! So that sounds nice and I am starving” Louis says as his stomach growls in response to the mention of food

  
  
“Come on then,” Harry says swinging his legs back off the side “Let's go!”

  
  
“Wait!” Louis says climbing out of Harry's bed, he doesn’t say it but fuck, he could get used to the image of Louis wrapped in his sheets 

  
  
Louis leans up to Harry kissing him once, it's slow and soft. A stark contrast from the night before, it's like he's testing the waters.

  
  
“We should really go before I have you for breakfast instead! And I’m sure your kids will kill me if I let you starve to death!” Harry says as he wraps Louis fingers with his own.

  
  
**Two Princes – Spin Doctor**

  
  
Louis sits on the sideboard on the opposite side of the kitchen as he watches Harry cook. He can't help but stare at the way his muscles move under his shirt. If Louis didn’t know how old he was he would guess he was late 20’s the guy looks good. He looks down at himself, the small roll of his stomach sitting on the top of his boxers makes him think he should probably get back to the gym.

  
  
“Hey, do you work out?” Louis asks 

  
  
“I do, it’s a procrastination thing,” Harry laughs “When I can't write or sleep I go, my gym is open 24 hours so it's helpful, do you?” Harry asks turning around to him and Louis scoffs

  
  
“do I look like I work out?” He asks slumping forward slightly to exaggerate his point

  
  
“You do,” Harry says seriously and Louis rolls his eyes and points to his stomach “Oh fuck off, look,” Harry says pulling his shirt up as he sits down watching as his stomach moves into a small roll “That’s how stomachs work..” He walks a little closer to Louis on the side board, moving his hands up his thighs  
  
“I am not having that someone with thighs like this doesn’t work out,” Harry says, running his finger up and down Louis thigh “And those arms,” He moves his fingers up to them “Fuck, they had no problem holding me up last night,” Harry says before coughing and stepping back “I should…” he points over his shoulder at the bacon frying behind him and Louis bursts out laughing

  
  
“I swim and I play football I guess! You have very skillful fingers,” He smirks as Harry wiggles them at him 

  
  
“So you do work out, liar! I’ll have to show you how skillful they are at some point then wont I?” Harry tells him before turning back to his cooking.

  
  
Louis can't help the way he feels a blush spread across his cheeks. He is sat half naked, in the kitchen of a guy he met online, he is cooking him breakfast while talking about the next time they are going to be together. 

  
  
Louis has been on the odd date here and there. It's never lead to anything but friends with benefits type things. He finds it hard to find something more with having the girls. They leave school for college this year and things are going to change, they have already become more independent and while that scares him, it excites him to think about doing all the things he didn’t do in his 20’s.

 

  
“So, what are your kids like then?” Harry asks as they sit down to eat

  
  
“A pain in my arse” Louis laughs “Nah they’re great, Bonnie and Bailey, they’re 16 going on 40 – I honestly don’t know how I’m going to handle it when they start going out to town!” Lottie keeps telling him the second they turn 18 she is taking them out. While he should be grateful that Lottie will be there, that’s also what scares him

  
  
“They start college in September and it will be the first time in a long time that we don’t all go to school together and I’m not sure I’m ready for that!” Louis tells him 

  
  
“Tell me about it, when Liv started college I sobbed. Like properly sobbed! She had to get my mate to take her and drop her off because I wouldn’t stop crying” He laughs and Louis can picture it now 

  
  
“I reckon that’s going to be me! It feels like forever ago they were babies, but also like only yesterday,” Somewhere behind him he hears his phone ring. “Talk of the devil,” He says to Harry as he picks his phone up “Hey love,” He says into the phone “You ok?”

  
  
_“Yeah, I’m fine, I have a favour to ask though – oh gran says hi by the way, Bon too!”_ Bailey says

  
  
“Tell them both I said hi too! What is it? It's not another outfit is it?” He asks

  
  
_“What? No, no it's not that, I know you normally go to football on Thursday but I have a match and I just got an email asking me if I can start, will you come dad? Pleeaaassseeee”_ she says and Louis can't help but grin, she has been working so hard to make the netball A team 

  
  
“You joking? Of course I’ll be there! Liam can play for me instead, honestly love nowhere else I’d rather be! Is Bon coming? We can go for food after” 

  
  
_“Yeah, she’s coming, that would be so nice … do you reckon I could ask Olivia?”_ And oh

  
  
“If you talk to Bon about it and she is ok with that, then sure” Louis isn’t sure about meeting her first partner... of any gender

  
  
_“you are the best dad! See you tomorrow, I love you!”_ She says 

  
  
“Love you too love, see you tomorrow – See you tomorrow Bon” He shouts 

  
  
He moves back to the table, putting his phone on silent. As he goes back to eating, trying somehow to explain to Harry about his reluctance about meeting his daughter's girlfriend. See if it was a boyfriend he would know how to talk to him, he is a guy himself. He thinks about Bailey though and how this girl's parents would speak to her

  
  
“I just don’t know what I'm supposed to say ya know? What if she asks if she can stay over?” Louis says and Harry shrugs

  
  
“Honestly, I’m literally in the same boat, like the exact same! There is a girl Liv likes and I know she is like seconds away from telling me they are going on a date and shit… like I’ve been 17!” Harry says

  
  
“I know! That’s what I was thinking!” Louis says as Harry's phone buzzes next to them 

  
  
Louis watches Harry's face change as he reads the message “everything ok?” He asks

  
  
**Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer**

  
  
Harry stares up at Louis and then back at his phone

  
  
**From Liv: Do you mind if I go out after netball? Not like out, out. Bailey has asked me if I want to go and have some food with her family, it's not like a date because her dad will be there, but like, can I? xxxxxx**

  
  
“ok, weird question…” Harry pauses for a second “Your daughter, the one who asked the girl to go for food with you,” He asks and Louis nods “could like be possibly happening on Thursday?” 

  
  
“Yeah, how’d you know?” Louis asks as he puts a forkful of food in his mouth, he looks down at his plate chewing slowly before looking back up at Harry “You call her Liv” Louis whispers after he swallows 

  
  
“I do, it’s Olivia… my daughter is Olivia” Harry says and Louis blinks twice at him

  
  
“Bailey and… Olivia?” Louis says and Harry nods

  
  
“I guess our daughters…” They both stare at each other for a moment

  
  
**From Liv: Please dad :(**

  
  
Harry stares down at his phone and sighs 

  
  
“What do I say?” Harry asks 

  
  
“I mean, I don’t know! We can't say no right?” Louis asks

  
  
“No, we can't, I know Liv really likes her… she talks about her like she is the best person she has ever met” Harry says which gets a smile from Louis

  
  
“Yeah Bailey told me all about Olivia, she seems to really like her” Louis shrugs

  
  
**To Liv: Of course you can, I’m happy for you monster xx**

  
  
He presses send and sighs before looking over at Louis sitting in front of him. 

  
  
So close.

  
  
“I guess that this means,” Louis points between the two of them 

  
“I honestly don’t know, I suppose so! It would be weird if we did and they did, right?” Harry asks with a sigh

  
  
This is just his luck. Of course the man of his dreams and he can't have him because his daughter got there first… of sorts.

  
  
“it would be weird, I guess,” Louis says, picking up his plate and taking it over to the sink, finishing his brew as he turns on the taps 

  
  
“Hey you don’t need to do that, I can do it,” Harry tells him taking the plate off him

  
  
They just stand and stare at each other for a moment. He looks over at his tattoos, the way they cover the tan skin of his body. He really does want to get his mouth on them 

 

  
“I mean…” he pauses, moving his hands to Louis face “If nobody but us knew? Could that work?” Harry asks, bringing their lips closer

  
  
Louis doesn't say anything he just closes the small gap between them and captures Harry's mouth with his own. Tea on the tip of their tongues as Harry pushes Louis backwards against the cupboards behind him 

  
“What does this make this then?” Louis asks between kisses 

  
  
“Ours,” Harry mumbles into his neck as he slides his fingers down his sides “If you want it, ours” 

  
  
  
**Dream Catch Me – Newton Faulkner**

  
  
Louis was running late, he had been caught behind at work. Bonnie and Bailey had gone ahead without him telling them that he would meet them there. He had taken clothes with him to change in to, Harry was going to be there and he really didn’t want to turn up looking “so teacher like” as Lottie had kept telling him.

  
  
There wasn’t enough time though, he was able to somehow sort his hair out on the drive over there but apart from that he was still wearing what he had on for work. It wasn’t his worst look. He was a drama teacher so it's not like he has to wear suits every day. He has on black skinny jeans and a huge black jumper, it looks like 3 sizes too big for, but it's comfy, and his trainers.

  
  
He jumps out of his car with 2 minutes to spare. He spots Bonnie first. Then he spots Harry. They are sat two seats from each other. Wonderful.

  
  
“Dad!” Bonnie stands up and shouts, drawing attention to him. He holds his hand up to wave, working his way through the parents around her. He notices Harry shift in his seat making sure he looks nowhere but the font

  
  
“What took you so long?” She asks and he shrugs

  
  
“Jace had some shit he needed going over, you know how he is. Apparently the only person they could find to hire for the job isn’t even qualified” Louis rambles on 

  
  
“What have you done to your hair?” She asks 

 

  
“what do you mean it always looks like this?” He asks as she moves a little closer to him 

  
  
“Yeah but it didn’t look like that before… also, are you wearing aftershave?” She asks as the whistle blows on the court below them. He doesn’t miss the smirk that plays on Harry’s lips.

  
  
**From Harry: For what it's worth, I like the hair ;)**

  
  
Louis reads his phone before sliding it back in his pocket and ignoring it.

  
  
“Which one do you think is the girl?” Bonnie asks as the whistle goes for the 3rd quarter

  
  
Louis knows which girl it is, she looks so much like Harry. Big green eyes and a mess of chocolate curls scraped back off her face

  
  
“I’m not sure, we will find out afterwards though” Louis smiles

  
  
“It's weird, I guess I sort of knew but I just… I’m happy for her!” Bonnie says and Louis side eyes her 

  
  
“Are you sure because that didn’t sound sincere” He laughs and she shrugs

  
  
“Guess I’m just jealous that she is going to leave me now, we spend so much time together and if she gets a girlfriend I’m going to be alone” Bonnie says softly with a sigh

  
  
“Well thanks for that, nice to know I don’t exist” He says with a laugh as she leans against his shoulder

  
  
“You know what I mean, I have friends, but it's different with B, aunty Phoebes and Daisy get it,” She tells him

 

  
“exactly, look at them Daisy is married and they still spend time together, love, she isn’t moving out, she’s just… growing up I guess” He shrugs

  
  
He has seen them do everything together. When he watched Daisy and Phoebe grow up and then Doris and Ernie, he watches them have a point in their Lives where they didn’t want to do the twin thing, where they wanted their own space and time. Bonnie and Bailey never had that, Louis wonders if it had anything to do with their mum not being round and knowing that they needed each other.

  
  
Seeing them get to the age where they have to start going and Living their Lives without each other is sort of heart breaking. It was the one thing he never really thought about. Boys he thought about, conversations about their mum, he thought about... Living separate Lives? Yeah he somehow couldn’t face thinking about that.

  
  
“I guess,” She says with a sigh as the whistle blows once more.

  
  
The game finished 21-19 with Bailey's team winning. She was brilliant, of course Louis knew that, but it was the first game she started. He could see the grin that was on her face from where he is sat.

  
  
He meets them outside after they had finished. Harry standing apart from them, they’re not supposed to know each other and he wants Bailey and Olivia to do the introducing. He watches them walk out together, laughing at each other and smile spreads across his face. She looks happy, like really happy.

  
  
“hey love,” He says wrapping his arms round her kissing the top of her head “You played amazingly!”

  
  
“You did, even I was impressed,” Bonnie tells her with a punch to the arm “So, where is she?” She asks

  
  
“oh yeah hold on,” She says turning towards where Harry is stood with Olivia, she waves them over.

  
  
Harry looks so good, he is wearing jeans tighter than Louis has ever seen, he has a long sleeve black Fleetwood Mac shirt on and his hair is loose around his face

  
  
“Dad, Bon, this is Olivia and her dad, Harry” Bailey says with a smile as Harry holds out his hand 

  
  
“Hi, I’m Louis, nice to meet you both” he says looking between the both of them as Harry gently squeezes his hand. He does his best not to let his eyes fall to his grin.

  
  
“Can we pleassseee go eat now, I’m starved” Bonnie says with a smile

  
  
“Sure, what do you fancy?” He asks Olivia who shrugs

  
  
“I’ll eat anything,” She says 

  
  
“Are you coming with us?” Bonnie asks Harry and Louis wants the ground to swallow him up 

  
  
“Oh, erm… I don’t know if that’s,” His eyes look panicked as they flick around the three girls in front of him 

  
  
“Come on, it will be nice” Bailey says and Olivia grins 

  
  
“Do you mind?” His eyes flick from Louis to Olivia's, Louis knows the question was as much for him as it was Olivia 

  
  
“No of course not” She says 

  
  
“Ok, so it's settled, Harry..” Louis says “Wana come with us? Save taking two cars?” Louis can do this, he can be casual, pretend he’s never met Harry and have an actual conversation.

  
  
He can.

  
  
He totally can.

  
  
Ok, so he can't. Like he _realllly_ can't.

  
  
Harry is sat next to him, Bonnie thought it would be a good idea that the dads get to know each other, apparently that _"just makes sense"_

  
He does his best not to stare, he doesn’t watch the way his hands push the hair off his face as he grins into his drink, he doesn’t. He also doesn’t notice when he runs his tongue over his bottom lip before biting it.

  
  
"So like, how did you know you was a lesbian?" Bonnie asks Olivia, arm propped on the table with her hand under her chin

  
  
"Bonnie!" Louis warns

 

  
"What? Bailey didn’t tell me much and I was just asking" She says in defense and Harry can't help but laugh

  
  
"It's fine Mr Tomlinson, honestly" Olivia says with a smile

  
  
"Oh please, call me Louis, I get enough Mr Tomlinson at school" he laughs as Harry knocks his knee into his. He ignores it. 

  
  
"Sorry, Louis, honestly it's cool, what do you want to know?" She asks turning to Bonnie, Louis watches as Bailey smiles between them both.

  
He watches her laugh at literally everything Olivia says, Olivia returning the laughs every time Bailey opens her mouth. At one-point Bonnie asks them to stop being so disgustingly cute, with a huge smile on her face.

  
  
As family meals go, he doesn’t think it’s the worst one he's ever had. 

  
  
Although Harry's hand on his thigh is a little distracting! 

  
  
As the evening goes on, the girls all seem to get along really well, Louis makes a mental note to thank Bailey later for including Bonnie in the conversation and not just leaving her out. They all laugh and joke, even things between Louis and Harry seem a little less awkward. Sexual frustration aside, obviously.

  
  
**Toxic – Britney Spears**

  
  
Louis drives Olivia and Harry back to the courts so they can pick up their car. Harry doesn’t want the night to end. He can't really class it as a date, can he? Their kids were there. Either way, he can't help the way his heart jumps when he catches Louis eye in the rear-view mirror. A smile spreads across both of their faces as they pull up.

  
  
"It was lovely to meet you both, I've had a great night" Louis tells them both as they say their goodbyes

  
  
"Me too, thank you again Louis, it was lovely" Olivia says, before turning to Bonnie "We were going to go and see a film on Saturday if you want to come with us? My mate is coming with us so if you don’t, he will be on his own, come, spare him!" She jokes with her hand clutched to her chest. 

  
  
Bonnie is nodding before she has finished "Is that ok with you B?" She asks Bailey who just nods with a grin.

  
  
"Well," Harry says "Cheers for tonight, was great to meet you all, Louis you have two wonderful girl's thanks for letting me tag along" 

  
  
Louis smiles at him, it’s the exact same smile that he had given him the morning he walked back into his room. 

  
  
God he is hot!

  
The all shout their goodbyes as Louis drives off. Olivia hugs into his chest whispering a soft "thank you" to him. 

  
  
"what's that for?" He asks her with a laugh walking round to the driver's side

  
  
"well you could have either not come or could have come and properly embarrassed me!" She says and he fake gasps

  
  
"me? Embarrass you? Never!" He says as he presses play, Britney Spears blaring through the speakers, she throws her arms up in the air

 

  
"Oh, no, never" She shouts, a grin covering her face.

  
  
She is happy. Therefore, he is happy.

  
  
The drive home is quiet, Olivia rests her head against the window, phone in her hand as Harry hums to whatever it is that comes on through his speakers. The slow down at the lights when she lifts her head up

  
  
"Louis seems nice right?" 

  
  
"He does" He says keeping his eyes on the road, he can see her smirk out of the corner of his eye "Whatever that look is you have on your face, you can stop that, stop it right now!" He tells her

  
  
"there isn’t any look, I'm just saying, he's nice, cute eve,” This time he turns to her narrowing her eyes "Gay too, ya know, just if you wanted to know" 

  
  
"Oh because that wouldn’t be awkward right?" Harry tells her "Just because he is gay doesn’t mean anything, I don’t just find myself attracted to every gay man! Or every gay man attracted to me for that matter!"

  
  
"why would it be awkward? Oh come on, he was so checking you out!" She tells him and if the light was on in the car she would definitely see the blush reach his cheeks

  
  
"Because you’re dating, sort of dating his daughter - that’s weird" he says, silence falling upon the car

  
  
"When was he checking me out?" Harry asks after a moment causing Olivia to burst out laughing.

  
  
She gave him a play by play of how every time Louis thought Harry wasn’t looking, he would let his eyes fall on him. She told him it was like watching a rom-com. Only sicklier! She even suggested that they should go out for a drink, just to be polite seeing as though her and Bailey will be spending time together.

  
  
What he doesn’t ask is what happens if her and Bailey break up. What if one of them hurts the other? Then what? Then he's gotten close to Louis and he has to walk away. He can't do that, that wouldn’t be fair. Obviously, he would always take her side, Louis would always take Bailey's. 

  
  
He could have found any guy online. Yet he found Louis. 

  
  
Louis with eyes the colour of the Mediterranean Sea, or the smile of an actual angel, the laugh of a god and the body of... fuck Harry needs to stop thinking about this.

  
  
**To Louis: So I heard you was checking me out? H x**

  
  
He sends once they are back home, Olivia is upstairs writing, like he should be. Instead he is looking though the messages they had sent to each other.

  
  
Fuck. He was fucked.

  
  
**From Louis: Says you? Bailey already told me you couldn’t keep your eyes off my arse. Not that I blame you. It's perfectly wonderful! X**

  
  
**To Louis: That’s true... about it being wonderful. Not about me staring. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t look. I only broke it once or twice, promise! Lou, what are we going to do? H x**

  
  
He sighs as he presses send. 

  
  
**From Louis: I've got to go and check up on my mate's cat. 24 Liverpool St – I'll be there about midnight.**

  
  
He stares at the screen. 

  
  
Was he telling him to go round? 

  
  
Obviously, he was. Who goes visiting a cat at midnight? Shit.

  
  
He checks the time it's almost 10. He will go for a just in case shower and then he will see. He doesn’t reply to Louis. 

  
  
He spends longer in the shower than he needs to. Throwing on trackies and a t-shirt when he climbs out. He pops his head in Olivia's room. She's asleep with her head against the desk. At least he wouldn’t have to sneak out past her... maybe.

  
  
"Liv..." He nudges her shoulder "monster come on, get in bed you’ll hurt your neck like that" He says as she lifts her head up 

  
  
" I’m awake, I’m awake – thank god it's Friday tomorrow" she mumbles

  
  
"Scrabble weekend?" He asks as she turns her laptop off 

  
  
"I'm out Saturday day but then, please?" She says

  
  
"Course! Now come here" he wraps his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug. "Goodnight little monster" 

  
  
"Will you ever stop calling me that?" She asks shuffling over to her bed?

 

  
  
"Erm.. No! You’re my monster, deal with it, goodnight" He tells her as he switches off the light.

  
  
He goes to his room and lays on his bed. It's 11pm. He has an hour to decide if he should go. On one hand, fuck. And on the other, fuuuck.

  
  
He stands up and checks his wardrobe, if he is going, what does he wear? What does he do with his hair? Does he need to take anything with him? He contemplates texting Louis and asking him, but he’s worried if he does Louis will reply and tell him he got the wrong end of the stick.

  
He's going to go.

  
  
YOLO. 

  
  
That’s what people say right?

  
  
He needs to go.

  
  
He grabs the first pair of jeans and t-shirt he finds and sticks them on. Bobble on his wrist and hair loose on his shoulders, that way if he needs to tie it up he can. He is definitely over thinking this. He grabs his hoody and his car keys. He really wishes he didn’t have to drive. That way he would be half cut by now.

  
  
It takes roughly 10 minutes to get to Liverpool street with no traffic. He pulls in the car park round the back. One light on in the house. It feels so wrong, it feels like he is having an affair.

  
  
They are both single for fuck sake

  
  
He takes a deep breathe before knocking on.

  
  
Louis opens the door with a smirk and Harry can't help the grin that spreads across his face

  
  
"I fucking hate you" He mumbles into Louis mouth as he closes the door with his foot, wrapping his hands around his waist

  
  
"yeah? That’s a shame, I'm quite fond of you," Louis whispers and it does more to Harry than it should

  
  
"Who's house is this?" Harry asks looking round

  
  
"my mate Zayn, he's in Bradford until Tuesday" Louis mumbles as he pulls Harry into the front room and down onto the sofa with him

  
  
"Fancy!" He says as he pushes the pillows out of his way "fucking knew I always loved Bradford," Harry laughs as he pulls Louis shirt over his head, closely followed by his own

"Does your mate know that you are here right now? Know that I'm about to take you apart on his couch?" Harry whispers into Louis ear watching as Louis shivered at his words 

  
  
“No so if we could try and not break anything that would be great,” he laughs as he pushes Harry down onto the sofa, straddling him as he does

  
  
His hands are in Harry’s hair as their lips slot together like they were made for each other. His head feels dizzy as he grinds down ever so slighted cursing himself for wearing tight jeans 

  
  
“Shit,” Harry moans as his hands cup Louis arse “you have no idea how much I love your arse, let me taste you” his voice is deep and low, barely audible over the sound of Louis heartbeat

  
  
“Are you trying to kill me?” He asks with a groan 

  
  
“No? I mean I’m into some things and god knows I could make a million stiffy jokes, but I’m not into dead guys babe,” _Babe._ Louis heart flutters “Come on, off with these before I’m the one who dies” 

  
  
He stands up in front of Harry, the dimly lit room is a soft yellow behind him as he takes his jeans off, Harry’s eyes carefully watching him, he feels naked before he’s even gotten his belt off.  

  
  
He slides them down, just managing to kick them off before Harry is pulling him closer, his lips dragging across Louis stomach as his hands move up the back of his thighs. He looks up at Louis with a smirk that he is sure he was blessed with from the devil himself 

  
  
**Medicine - Harry Styles**

  
  
“You have a look on your face that sort of scares me” Louis laughs which only causes the smirk to grow 

  
  
“Just thinking about how best to do this, do just straight up sit on my face? Do I make you bend over right here? See how strong those thighs are, see how long you could stay like that? Or should I be kind to you and just let you lay down?” His lips are on Louis neck as his talks, he’s never been hard just from someone’s words before, but right now he’s harder than he’s ever been 

  
  
“Fuck sake, can you decided before I do actually die… maybe not the second one though” 

  
  
Harry is laughing into his mouth before he knows it, pushing him back onto the couch. The couch that he is definitely never going to tell Zayn he was naked on! And it’s still weird to him that he feels this comfortable with Harry, that he can laugh while naked, while their hands are all over one another. It’s new. It’s exciting.

  
  
Harry grabs two of the pillows before whispering for him to turn over. 

  
  
He’s on his stomach with two pillows wedged under his hips and Harry’s teeth grazing over the back of his thighs, the soft flesh pinching between his teeth. It shouldn't feel so good. 

  
  
He feels two hands massaging him slowly, pulling him open ever so slightly and he suddenly becomes aware how exposed he is. Before he can over think it, he feels Harry’s tongue flat against him. Hot and wet as he drags himself over Louis hole 

  
  
“Christ,” he moans into the crook of his arm “shit!” He hisses trying hard not to grind down against the pillow under him 

  
  
His tongue is hot against Louis, dipping in and out of him softly, his hands gripping his cheeks as he does. He pushes himself back ever so slightly onto Harry’s waiting tongue, his moan is muffled as he bites the back of his arm. He feels overwhelmed by every one of his senses.

  
One of Harry’s fingers tease against his hole alongside his tongue and he feels lightheaded, he doesn’t bite his arm this time. Moans rolling off his tongue as Harry’s finger pushes deep in him.

  
  
“Fuck Harry, need another, please,” he moans, looking over his shoulder, the image of Harry eating him, knuckle deep with his eyes closed as he does, now forever etched in his memory. He needs him. He needs his right this minute. Fuck he needs him 5 minutes ago.

  
  
Harry does something to him that makes him feel so animalistic. Makes him feel so alpha. So “blokey” yet at the same time so not! He wants to be held down and fucked within and inch of his life, but he also wants soft. Soft and tender, slow and soft! He wants to feel Harry on every bit of his skin, he wants soft kisses and hushed words under a cloak of darkness, he wants every fantasy of a romance novel. 

  
  
But that’s for another day.

  
  
“Need you, now please,” He pants as Harry moves a third finger inside him he feels Harry’s breathe against the bottoms of his back before he feels his lips drag up his spine. He feels too hot. “Please,” he whines

  
  
“I got you!” Harry whispers, his lips against Louis ear as his fingers push a little deeper “you’re going to look so fucking good wrapped around me,” 

  
  
“I’m not going to look like anything if you don’t fuck me!” He complains “Come on! Fuck me and then come in my mouth,” the words tumble off his lips before he even realises he’s saying them 

  
  
“Fuck please,” Harry groans as he sinks his teeth into his shoulder. 

  
  
Louis feels Harry presses the head of his cock against his hole and he needs it more than he needs to breathe right now. He wants to feel full, to feel Harry fill him and claim in. He needs it.

  
  
His fingers sink into the pillow under him as Harry slides in to him slowly, he has bottomed in a while, his bites his lips as he feels himself stretch a little around him.

  
  
“Fuck,” he groans, face buried in his arm 

  
  
“You ok?” Harry asks, lips against his shoulder “Lou babe you ok? Want me to stop?” 

 

  
“No! Fuck, no!” He whines “move, you can move, please,” his voice is all over the place, one second it’s nothing more than a whisper and the next he feels like he’s shouting 

  
  
Harry steadily moves inside him, his fingers digging into Louis waist in the most delicious way, he is on the right side of painful. 

  
  
“You feel so fucking good,” Harry moans as he picks up his pace, Louis can’t do anything but moan and push himself back as Harry pounds into him. He is sure he’s never felt as full as he feels right now. He feels it deep in as he looks over his shoulder.

  
  
Harry looks fucked , eyes half closed and lips sucked into his mouth as he fucks Louis “fuck, fuck,” he feels the pillow under his hips every time Harry fucks into him, grazing against his cock “Christ Harry, you feel so good!” 

  
  
“Say it again,” Harry moans, teeth grazing the back of Louis shoulder “tell me how good it feels!”

  
  
“So good, so fucking good, the best,” he feels Harry fuck his harder as he talks, like he’s spurred on by it “can feel every inch of you, so fucking full,” 

  
  
“God,” he growls against the side of Louis neck “fuck,” his words are no more than mumbles and moans by this point 

  
  
“Come on Harry, fuck me, fill me,” he can feel how close he is without even laying a finger on himself yet. His cock is throbbing and leaking against the pillow under him “best ever, best I’ve ever had!” 

  
  
“Gona come, I’m so close,” 

  
  
“Want it in my mouth!” Louis tells him, it’s like he becomes aware of how deathly silent it is beside their moans and slapping of skin. It feels raw and hot.

  
  
“Please, yes, fuck turn over!” Harry says, Louis feels him pull out, suddenly feeling empty 

  
  
He watches Harry pull off the condom and move up Louis chest, nothing has ever seemed as hot. Ever. He watches him wrap his hands around himself as he reaches down to his own cock, moaning at his first touch. He leans forward as Harry straddles his chest, his lips wrapping around him just as he explodes into his mouth

  
  
“Fuck, shit,” Harry hisses, his fingers under Louis chin as he takes every drop of him “you’re so fucking hot!” 

  
  
Before Louis has time to even think about replying, Harry surges forward, connecting their lips, his tongue twists along slide Louis like he’s wanting to taste himself on his tongue. He wraps his hand around himself as they kiss, Harry nipping at his lips as he tightens his hand.

  
  
Harry’s hand slaps his own away, it doesn’t take long until Louis moans his orgasm into Harry’s mouth. He feels it run through is veins over and over, Harry’s fingers dragging it out of him.

  
  
He feels a little spaced out as Harry grins down at him. He doesn’t understand how he got here, fucked out and naked on Zayns couch with the hottest person he has ever met, above him.  
  
  
  
**Glitter in The Air – P!nk**

  
  
Harry snuggles a little closer into Louis, this couch was definitely not made to have two fully grown men snuggling on it.

  
  
"What time is it?" Louis mumbles, half asleep

  
  
"Itssss..." Harry stretches out for his phone "half 2, shit do you have work in the morning?" Harry asks looking back at a pouting Louis

  
  
"I do" he fake cries as he yawns

  
  
"Sorry," Harry mumbles, "Didn’t realise I would be keeping you up, we best get you back" He whispers, placing a small kiss under Louis ear

  
  
Louis pulls him back as he tries to get up, wrapping his arms round him and pulling him into his chest. Harry thinks about moving for a moment, but instead of struggling out of Louis arms he moves a little closer, his arm resting on top of his hip.

  
  
There is a silence in the air, it's not awkward or weird, it's just... just.

  
  
"You don’t have to say sorry, I asked you to come! I will survive, honestly" Louis says with a soft kiss on Harry's head.

  
  
Harry is so fucked, his heart is beating out of his chest as Louis snuggles him. The soft traces of his fingers feel like they're burning into his skin. He feels like he is on fire as he looks down into Louis eyes. God, something was happening. 

  
  
It's not a sex high. It's more than that.

  
  
"What are you doing this weekend?" Harry asks, moving slightly to look up at Louis "fuck you're hot" he whispers and Louis laughs

  
  
"I sometimes ever wonder if you’ve seen yourself in a mirror" Louis says "if I looked like you, I'd be constantly touching myself in front of the mirror!" Louis tells him

  
  
"Such a ridiculous thing to say when you look like that! Now, back to my question!"

  
  
"Idiot! Ok, your question.. Well I don’t think I have anything planned, maybe food shopping with the girls on Sunday but that’s it, why? Going to ask me on a date" Louis smirks and Harry can't help but feel a little embarrassed

  
  
"Are you blushing??" Louis asks with a laugh "You just ate your own come out of my mouth and you’re getting embarrassed at that?" He is proper laughing now and Harry can't help but blush more

  
  
"Shut up! It's different!" He mumbles

  
  
"I'm sorry babe, hey," Louis puts two fingers under Harry's chin to bring them face to face "what did you want to ask me?"

  
  
"Well, Bonnie is going out with Bailey and Olivia and I thought maybe while they were out I could take you out? Just us two" Harry says and Louis grins at him 

  
  
"I would like that, do I have to dress fancy?" He asks with a smirk

  
  
"Wear what the fuck you like as long as you turn up!" Harry says biting at his chest "We should move though right because I swear if we don’t I will fall asleep here" 

  
"this mate of Olivia's that’s going with them at weekend, do you know him?" Louis asks as they get changed 

  
  
"Yeah, Jax, I told you about my mate Niall right?" Harry asks and Louis nods

  
  
"It's his son, he's 16 – pain in the arse, but he's a good lad" Harry shrugs "honestly, the girls will be fine with them" He wraps his arms round Louis waist and kisses him slowly

  
  
Louis puts both his hands against his chest and pushes him away "if you do that I'm not going to leave" He says as Harry moves his lips to his neck, leaving small kisses under his ear

  
  
"Don’t leave then, fuck work, it's Friday who needs to work on a Friday when they could stay up all night and sit on my face" Harry says, voice low as his hands slide to the small of Louis back

  
  
"Oh fuck I hate you! I can't miss school when I have to take my kids there with me, now stop with that pretty dirty mouth" Louis says with a grin that Harry could take as Louis actually telling him not to stop

  
  
"fuck you're right!" He moans, stomping his foot and pouting 

  
  
"big baby, come on" Louis tells him as they grab their phones and keys 

  
  
"will you wear those jeans you had on earlier on Saturday?" Harry asks as they reach their cars 

  
  
"do you want me to?" Louis laughs

  
  
"Please," Harry says pulling him close to him before he has chance to climb into his car "You looked so good tonight you know," He says "the whole 'relatable teacher' thing works for you" Louis pulls back to look at him 

  
  
"relatable teacher? What does that even mean?" He laughs

  
  
"well you have to look presentable right because you’re a teacher, but you do it in a cool way so the kids are like 'oh he's one of us' tell me I'm wrong?" Harry says with a smirk

  
  
"oh fuck off and get in your car" He says causing Harry to burst out laughing as he opens the door. Pulling Louis back for a quick peck before watching him climb into his car and drive off shaking his head.

  
  
Harry doesn’t move from the spot he is in for 5 minutes. He rests his head against the steering wheel as he grins to himself. He is in so deep. This guy, that came from nowhere and is like a whirlwind in his life.

  
  
They talk about stupid stuff, about family stuff, about normal stuff. They talk, like properly talk. Harry doesn’t remember the last time that happened. If it has ever happened. He can laugh with Louis! Louis has the ability to make him laugh while he has his dick in his mouth, that’s definitely never happened. 

  
  
He slowly drives home, letting Louis take over his thoughts. The thing is, he's come this far, he doesn’t want it to end. He doesn't want to have to tell him he can't see him or cancel on him because of Olivia and the twins. Can he keep seeing him in private though? 

  
  
The kids are getting older and it's not like they are at home all the time, they could work it around the kids.

  
  
He doesn't know. He just knows he is smiling so hard his face may crack.


	4. Chapter 4

 

**Let You Down – NF**

 

Louis let the hot water run over him without moving as his mind raced with a million different things. He could still feel Harry on his skin. Still feel him touching him, kissing him, holding him. He slaps his hand against the shower wall as he groans. How can Harry be so deep in his head? He has known him what? 3 weeks? How can he have this much of a hold over him already?

 

Louis is screwed.

 

As he thought it would, work drags. The kids are extra loud and annoying. Nobody is listening to him. Including his own kids. He told them to meet him at the entrance at 3:30 sharp as he wanted to get home to sleep. It's 4 and he's still waiting.

  
  
"Where have you been and why are neither of you answering your phone wha... have you been crying?" He asks Bailey when she finally walks past him

 

"No, can we go please," She says pushing passed Louis, he looks over at Bonnie who just shrugs

 

"You need to talk to her, it's not my place to say" She sighs

 

Great. Just what he needs, family drama!

 

Harry had text him numerous times during the day, sending him pictures and jokes. Honestly, it's killing Louis. If he was just annoying or ignorant, he would be fine. But he isn’t. He’s adorable and funny and Louis is heading straight down feelings street and he isn't seeing a stop sign anywhere.

 

When they finally get home, he follows Bailey upstairs with a sigh, god he wishes he was asleep right now, curled up in his bed hiding from his responsibilities like a grown adult should.

 

"stick the kettle on please love," he says to Bonnie

 

"can I come in?" He asks with a soft knock before walking into the room without an answer. He sits himself on the end of the bed, "Bailey, what's up love?" He asks "Is it Olivia?"

 

She doesn’t answer, she just shakes her head and sits up on her bed before bursting into tears "hey Bunny, don’t cry, come here," He moves closer, pulling her into a hug "what's up? Come on, talk to me, let me try and help," he says and she shakes her head

 

"you can't help, Bonnie can't help, nobody can," She says rather dramatically and Louis wants to laugh, it's like listening to Lottie when she was a teenager

 

"you can try me? Please!" He asks as she sniffles

 

"I spoke to mum," she says

 

Oh.

 

"Ok, what about?" He asks

 

"Just wanted to talk to her, Bonnie doesn’t get it, she doesn’t feel like she's our mum but I do dad, I know she hasn’t been there but I still like to talk to her sometimes ya know?" She says and Louis nods

 

He has never tried to stop them seeing or talking to her. He lost his mum when he was 25, he would have done anything to talk to her one last time so he would never try and stop them from talking to her

 

"I get that love, so what's the problem?" He asks

 

"she's pregnant" She says between sobs "she didn’t want us, I got that you know, some people just don’t want kids so I accepted it but now... she doesn’t want us, but she wants another baby? And she sounds so happy dad," She says and Louis wants to ring her and scream at her.

 

How could she do that, and to do it over the phone. He sighs as he pulls her closer. There is nothing he can say here, nothing that can help.

 

“Your mum was different back then love, people change, but she’s happy that’s good isn’t it?" He asks

 

“I know...” she pauses to look up at Louis “but why didn’t she want me?” And Louis heart breaks

 

He’d never really had his conversation with them. It hadn’t really been talked about, about why she left them. Bonnie never really cared, she saw her mum as not being around equaling her not caring. So she, in turn, decided not to care either.

He always knew Bailey asked more questions and always looked forward to seeing their mum, he wishes he could stop her from feeling like this

 

“I don’t have an answer Bailey, I’m sorry I really am! I know it’s not what you want, but I’m here and I promise you I’m never going anywhere! Even if you want me to,” He laughs, pulling her closer

 

“You’re the best dad in the world! I just don’t know how I could be so lucky and so fucked over too,” she laughs because she knows normally he would pull her up for swearing. But right now, he can’t

 

“Can I come in?” Bonnie asks from the door, Bailey just nods.

 

He watches as Bonnie curls up next to her and Louis wonders how he got so lucky. How, even though they had a bit of a messed-up family, how he was blessed with two of the sweetest, caring girls ever.

 

“I’m going to order some food, too tired to cook! You two going to be ok here?” He asks and Bonnie nods

 

**To Harry: Thank fuck today is over. Honestly not even sure how I'm going to make it through the rest of the night, every part of me aches! Also... thanks for this! X**

 

He attaches a picture of a line of bruises Harry had sucked into his skin the night before and smiles as he orders food.

 

It's like he is Living two different Lives at the moment. Harry and the girls. On one hand he is happy. Happier than he has been in a long, long time. And on the other hand, he has his daughters feeling like shit because of their mum. He feels bad for feeling happy. That shouldn’t be the way it is.

 

 

**Symphony - Clean Bandit**

 

Harry smiles down at his phone as Niall carries on talking to him. He pretends he is listening but all he can think about is Louis.

  
  
"… and I just think it's ridiculous to expect that, don’t you?" He asks, suddenly Harry wishes he had listened to even a little bit of what was being say

 

"erm... yes?" Harry says with a grimace

 

"You weren’t even listening, were you? It's like talking to a brick wall with you lately, what's gotten into you?" Niall asks

 

"Ok, I need to tell you something, I have to tell someone because it's killing me keeping it from Liv and I'm shit at keeping things from you!" Harry says, lowering his voice a little just in case Liv could hear him from upstairs.

 

Niall moves a little closer to him, he looks like a child excited for Christmas. The first thing you should know about Niall, he loves a good gossip. No matter how much he says he doesn’t.

 

"What is it?" He asks and Harry can't help but smile, Niall gasps at him "You're seeing someone!!!" He says pointing his finger at him

 

"Shhh fuck sake Ni!" He says smacking his finger away "Be quiet please, what part of Liv doesn’t know did you not get??" He asks

 

"Sorry, sorry! So, who is it? How longs it been going on? Where did you meet? Oooh is it love? Oh my god are you moving in together? That’s a bit soon don’t you think mate," Niall says with a serious face and Harry can't help but laugh

 

"Jesus, no. Not moving in! I met him online," He says as Niall pulls his face "don’t ok, he's nice, actually he's more than nice, fuck, Niall he's perfect!" He says as he runs his hands over his face

 

"So how come we can't tell Liv?" He asks

 

"because," He breathes out "You know like Liv has a sort of girlfriend?" Niall nods "It's... well, it's her dad" He says biting his lip as he waits for Niall's reaction.

 

"Right... that’s... I don’t know, it's not wrong, it's just awkward right?" Niall asks

 

"Exactly, like it's not like we knew and it's not like they're related, it's just a weird situation and I don't know how to handle it ya know? So we've been sort of sneaking around" he says as Niall slaps his arm

 

"How long for and how come I'm only just hearing about it?" He says loudly once more Harry has to remind him to be quiet

 

"For like... 3 weeks? I guess, maybe 2 and a half! It's not long really and because I didn’t want to tell anyone before I knew what was happening, now I don’t know what is happening and honestly I think I'm fucked Ni!" He groans and throws his head back

 

"Can I see a picture?" Niall asks and Harry doesn’t know why but it properly excites him. It's like he's showing him off. Like he's _his_ to show off.

 

He needs to stop thinking like that.

 

He pulls up two pictures, one that Louis had sent him when he was in school because Harry could not get over how good he looked in his glasses and one that they had taken the first night they spent together when they were drunk.

 

When Harry looks at it, even though he was drunk and it was literally the first time they had actually met he can see how gone for him he is. It's sort of embarrassing

 

"Well, he isn't half bad, not my type, but not bad," Niall says handing Harry his phone back

 

"well he wouldn’t be your type as you're straight, mate! But thanks, I guess" he says with a roll of his eyes

 

"So, when are we seeing him again?" Niall asks with a small clap of his hands and Harry can't help but roll his eyes once more as a smile spreads over his face.

 

It's nice to finally be able to talk about it out loud, he wants to tell him how crazy he is for him. How all he thinks about is Louis, how he isn't like a single person Harry as ever been with. It’s all new and exciting for him, but also that its more than that, it’s more than anything he has felt in... well, forever, and it's just a _lot_!

 

"Well I will be seeing him on Saturday, going to try that new Italian on Trafford Road" He says

 

"Who you going to the new Italian with?" Olivia asks as she comes into the room.

 

Harry needs to get some sort of alarm of something, he swears she sneaks down those stairs on purpose!

 

"Oh, nobody" he says as Niall looks like he's about to die

 

The Second thing you need to know about Niall is that he can't lie to save his life.

 

"Daaaaad," She says "do you have a date?" She asks with a smirk

 

"no, don’t be stupid, it's just going to be me and Niall!" He says, causing Niall to cough out his drink

 

"Yeah just me! You know how much I love Italian. Mmmm can't get enough of it, did I tell you that my dad is half Italian?" He says causing confusion to set upon both Harry and Olivia's faces

 

"Bobby is half Italian? Since when? I'm pretty sure you're the first of your family to leave Ireland uncle Ni, don’t talk shit" She says with a laugh

 

"oi, language!" Harry says

 

"fine, if you don’t want to tell me then don’t, but have fun either way" She tells him as she turns on the telly, sitting on the opposite end of the couch.

 

Niall gets up and moves himself between the two of them "What we watching then?" He asks as he snatches the remote out of Olivia's hand.

 

The third thing you need to know about Niall, is that he is a massive child

 

Harry Rolls his eyes. This is his life. This madness is his life!

 

**To Louis: I'm going to pretend I said something meaningful and profound about your day and skip right to the part I tell you how much I fucking love your body. Honestly. If I could mark every inch of you I would. H x**

 

**To Louis: On a completely unrelated note, I'm going to have to change your name in my phone, Liv overheard me talking about tomorrow and I think she's getting sus. So now your name is just 'L' soz! H x**

 

He changes Louis name in his contacts, sighing as he does. He would feel so much better about this whole thing if he didn’t have to tell so many lies. He is awful at lying.

 

The night is quiet after Niall leaves. They put on some music and play Scrabble, because why the hell not? They talk about college and writing, they mention Bailey and relationships. It's nice. It's a nice way to catch up with each other on how their week has been.

 

He messages Louis too, he doesn’t miss the way Olivia eyes his every time his phone lights up. Luckily his name has already been changed. Louis said he felt obligated to change Harry's name too so now he is under 'H' because subtlety is neither of their strong points.

 

They talk about their day, their plans for the weekend and the following week. Already planning on when they can next see each other after Saturday.

 

**From L: Well Zayn isn't back until Tuesday. I know it isn't ideal but we could at least be alone, if you want to that is! You could let me cook for you? X**

 

**To L: Yeah? That sounds nice. Could you make an excuse after work on Monday and get away for a while? H x**

 

**From L: Way ahead of you! Told them I'm going out for a few drinks with my mate, so if you can do Monday, say... 5ish? Xx**

 

He ignores the way his stomach flips at seeing the two 'x' on the message. He is a grown man for Christ sake.

 

**To L: That sounds perfect. What time do you want to meet tomorrow? H xx**

 

They plan to meet at 4, apparently the girls are going out about half 2 which will give them time to get ready and get there. He isn't sure he can remember the last time he went on a date where it felt like it meant this much.

 

If Harry can't sleep when he goes to be that night because he is so excited, nobody needs to know.

 

**Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Stanton**

 

"Will someone get the door please I'm just finishing getting ready!!!" Bailey shouts down the stairs

 

Louis gets up to get the door as Bonnie squeezes past him in a hurry. Nobody in this house is ever ready on time.

 

The girls had spent the morning getting ready and somehow, they were still running behind. Bonnie had done Bailey's hair and helped her pick out some clothes. Apparently, she needed something that screamed sex appeal but also didn't say that she had tried too hard.

 

Louis' ears started bleeding after he heard 'sex appeal' so he left them to it. Why did nobody warn him about his daughters dating? Tell him how hard it would be!

 

"Olivia, hi!" Louis says as he opens the door "come in, you must be Jax" Louis says to the tall blonde lad behind her

 

"Oh yeah sorry, Jax this is Louis, Bailey and Bonnie's dad... Louis this is Jax, he's my uncles Ni's son... but he isn't my cousin because Niall isn't my uncle, he's the one taking us, sorry I'm rambling" Olivia says and Louis laughs, she acts so much like Harry

 

"come in both of you," He says letting them into the hall "They will be down in a second, do either of you want a drink or anything?" Louis asks and both of them shake their head.

 

This is weird. He is stood in his hall waiting on his two daughters so they can go on, what Louis assumes is a double date, either nobody has actually called it that out loud. He doesn’t know what to do or say. He had thought about this a million times. He had a million speeches planned. Yet nothing comes out when he needs it.

 

Bonnie comes down first. He notices the way she looks over at Jax and the way he looks back at her and fuck,

 

"ok so ground rules..." Louis says stepping between them

 

"Ground rules? What are you going on about dad?" Bailey asks coming down the stairs behind Bonnie

 

"I'm just laying some rules," he looks at Jax "What's the plan? Film and food?" He asks Bailey who nods at him

 

"yeah, why?" She asks

 

"so if the plan changes that means you let me know right away! No sneaking off to someone's house or whatever ok! You go and you come home!" Bonnie rolls his eyes at him

 

"You do realise we are 16 right" She asks him

 

"yes I do, which means all of you..." He points to them all "Are not yet adults, so while you're under my house, you go by my rules! I don’t know what time the film you're watching is at, but I want you back for half 10 tops!" He notices Bonnie roll her eyes once more, but Bailey just nods

 

"If, for whatever reason your plans change, you let me know as soon as!" He puts his arm around Bonnie who shrugs it off and he can't help but laugh

 

"and lastly," he says

 

"Christ dad we are only going to see a film!" Bonnie says

 

"And lastly," he repeats staring at her "have fun!"

 

Bailey wraps her arm around him pulling him in for a hug, before grabbing her jacket

 

"Do you have anything fun planned?" Olivia asks as they get their stuff together

 

"not really, I might try the new Italian with Liam, my mate, later – but who knows," He shrugs as Olivia's eyes narrow at him ever so slightly

 

"The one on Trafford Road?" She asks and shit.

 

"No," he lies "The one near the Fort" he says and she looks at him for a second before smirking

 

"ok, well have a nice time with... Liam" she says with a wave of her hand

 

He shouts his goodbyes as they climb into the car, a blonde guy, he is guessing Niall, waves as he grins at him. It's weird but he waves back.

 

It's weird but he thinks about them going out. He is more nervous about Bonnie being around the Jax guy that Bailey and Olivia. In theory it’s the same thing, so why doesn’t he feel like it’s the same thing.

 

He thinks back to when he was 16, what his mates at the time were like. Maybe that’s why it's not the same thing. He is glad they are together though at least that puts his mind at ease slightly.

 

He had already had his shower earlier on in the day so all he needs to do is get dressed. He has butterflies in the pit of his stomach as he goes through his wardrobe. He stands looking at his clothes for longer than he watched the girls not a few hours ago. Who is he? It's just a date for christ sake. A date with a guy who has already seen him in trackies!

 

**Just Like Heaven – The Cure**

 

The restaurant is nice, it's very small and cosy which is fine, doesn’t make Harry feel nervous at all. Not even in the slightest. That feeling in his stomach is probably because he is hungry, yeah, that’s what it is.

 

He was going to wait outside for Louis, but he thought that would leave the possibility of an awkward meeting open, like what would he do? Go in for a hug? A Handshake? A kiss? No. He can't do that much awkwardness in one go. So, his plan is to sit down and wait for him, that way when Louis arrives Harry can be messing with his phone and somehow that’s not as awkward.

 

  
Olivia texts him a picture of her and Bailey, he sends a quick text back telling her to enjoy herself, nothing more though, he is worried that if he gets into conversation with her she will ask for a selfie of him and Niall and that is definitely not something he can do, especially since Niall isn't there.

 

"Is the plan to just ignore me for the whole day?" The voice says, pulling him out of his head

 

"Oh shit!" He says as he stands up "Hi, god you look good," He mumbles as he leans in to kiss his cheek "smell amazing too" not awkward. Surprisingly.

 

"flattery will get you everywhere my dear," He says with a grin as he sits down, letting his eyes travel down Harry's body, if it was supposed to be subtle, he is really doing a bad job of it, he feels himself blush under his gaze

 

"I hope so," Harry says with a smirk and it's good, he can do this after all. The sound of Louis laugh fills the small restaurant and Harry is gone.

 

He doesn’t say much as they look over their menus, he just watches the way Louis frowns when he concentrates. The way he bites his bottom lip slightly like he is really trying to concentrate.

 

"Are you ready to order?" The small blonde asks them with a smile. He doesn't miss the way she grins a little bigger at Louis.

 

"Wine?" Harry asks him

 

"ooh yeah, what was that one we had at yours the other night?" Louis asks, he watches the girls face slowly catch on to what he is saying and it’s the funniest thing Harry has seen

 

"I don’t know love, it was literally just a cheap one?" Harry tells him

 

"We will have a bottle of the house red please, that’s what wine connoisseurs drink right?" He tells the girl with a girl, she just nods while looking very flustered indeed.

 

"Did you do that on purpose?" Harry asks with a laugh as she walks away

 

"What?"

 

"She was checking you out!"

 

"She was not!" Louis laughs

 

"Oh love, she so was! Then you casually drop in that we were together and her face dropped it was great!"

 

"You're such a bellend!" He tells Harry with a grin, it’s the type of grin that reaches his eyes, makes them shine a little more than they already do

 

**LOVE – Kendrick Lamar**

 

It's like they’ve been dating for years. It's just so easy, comfortable, it's just nice. They smile and laugh at each other's terrible jokes, talk about their friends and interests. It's not awkward, not even for a moment, conversation just flows easily with them.

 

The wine goes down easily as they eat, Louis isn't sure he's been on a date that felt less like a date. It's nice and sweet, there's no pressure or anything on them. They’ve already seen each other naked so it's not like he's even worrying about that.

 

"So when's your next game then?" Harry asks when Louis tells him about playing football

 

"Next Thursday, honestly though I've trained like nowhere near as much as I should have these past few weeks and I'm pretty sure it's going to kill me" he laughs

 

"Can I come?" Harry asks

 

"You want to come and watch me play?" He asks with a small laugh, not actually believing Harry "oh you really do?" He adds when Harry nods over the top of his wine glass

 

"Yeah, I'd love to see those little legs in action" He says with a smirk and Louis can't help but narrow his eyes at him

 

"they're not little! I am 5"9 I've told you this before," Louis spits with a soft kick under the table

 

"You're not 5"9 babe, I'm sorry but you're not! And hey, as long as your legs are long enough to wrap round my waist I don’t really care" Harry says with another smirk and Louis is pretty sure this is how he dies!

 

"You're a dick!"

 

"Sorry, you want my what?" Harry says with a laugh and Louis can't help it, he really wants to pout and scowl at him but he can't help the laugh that bubbles up from his chest

 

"come on, let me come? Pleasssseee! If you want I can even pretend I don’t know you? And that I'm just looking for a trial or something, please Lou," Louis wishes he has the resolve to say no. He wishes he could ignore the way that Harry pouts at him and says please. He just can't.

 

"Fine! 6pm sharp... and the rule is you have to wear shorts I'm afraid!" He shrugs. It’s a lie, he just really wants to see him in shorts

 

"Great, I can't wait!"

 

They finish their food and the bottle of wine that’s in front of them before they know it. It's like they have only been here for 5 minutes. He knows that the girls will push their luck and make it back just in time for their 10pm curfew. He glances at his watch, half 7... so they have some time left.

 

He doesn’t want to leave but he isn't sure how is supposed to suggest anything else.

 

"Do you fancy coming back to mine for a bit?" Harry says while Louis is mid mental crisis

 

"Oh, yeah?" He asks like he hadn't been thinking it

 

"Yeah, the kids are out for a while yet and I don’t know... we could play scrabble?" He asks with a genuine smile

 

"The sad thing is, I know you mean scrabble and that’s not just a way to get me back to yours," Louis tells him with a nudge of their knees "But yeah, I'd love that!"

 

It's weird being in Harry's house. He's been here before but last time he was drunk! Everything is so very Harry. The soft colours and weird things on his sideboard. It's like one of those fancy sideboards that you would see in Kendall's window or a Selfridges display. It's all porcelain animals and pretty flowers intertwined with fairy lights

 

"I feel really weird," Harry tells him with a small laugh

 

"Like nervous weird? Or ate something bad weird?"

 

“Not nervous just… yeah nervous,” Harry says in the most adorable way. His hair falls forward into his face as the blush spreads across his cheeks

 

“Oh come on, it’s just a me!” Louis says moving closer to him “don’t be nervous,” he smiles at Harry as he runs his fingers down his arms

 

The truth is, he’s nervous. He’s terrified. He doesn’t want to relax and let himself fuck this up. Whatever this is.

 

“I only bite a little!” He says with a smirk

 

“We both know that’s not true!” Harry says with a small laugh.

 

He does this thing, this thing that ruins Louis and he isn’t even sure that Harry knows he is doing it. He laughs softly at Louis while looking down at his feet, before slowly bringing his eyes back up to Louis, so slowly, like he’s dragging them across every inch of his body.

 

It’s like he’s had the breath sucked out of him.

 

“Fuck sake!” Louis groans turning away

 

“What?” Harry asks, genuinely confused

 

“You!!! That fucking stare”

 

“What stare? What are you on about?” His hand is on Louis shoulder turning him round so they’re face to face once more

 

“That!” He says pointing at Harry's face “the way that you look at me, it’s… it does something to me” he sighs with his hands on his hips

 

“Like what?” He still looks genuinely confused like he doesn’t even know he’s doing it

 

“Like that! Your eyes are all… look I can’t explain it! It’s just like you’re _looking_ at me!”

 

“Do you want me to stop?” He asks, eyebrow raised “because I could like, keep my eyes closed while I’m around you?”

 

“You’re taking the piss now!” Louis laughs.

 

He sits down on the arm of Harry’s couch, somehow, they haven’t made it far enough into the front room for either of them to properly sit down

 

“Just Like… ok this is either going to sound weird or creepy or both!” He watches Harry move in front of him, gently moving his knees apart to slide in between his thighs

 

“Tell me?” He’s sure that he didn’t mean for his voice to sound so soft but it really doesn’t help

 

“You look at me like – with so much fucking intensity? Like you like what you see or whatever! It’s like you’d rip my clothes off right now if you could?” He laughs to try and cover up the fact that he’s just embarrassed himself

Harry’s fingers lightly touch the bottom of his chin as he tilts his head up to look at him properly

 

“That’s because I do like what I see and I honestly always want to rip your clothes off” he’s smiling and Louis is dying

 

“Yeah well, nobody has ever looked at me like that”

 

It feels shit to say it out loud. It's true though, he has never felt whatever it is he feels when Harry looks at him before. He has never felt the fire of someone's stare on him, it's all new.

 

“Then they’re missing out”

 

Is the last thing he hears before Harry's lips are on his. It’s like everything Louis been imagining since the last time they kissed. Harry's fingers wrap themselves into his shirt as he tugs him a little closer.

 

He tastes sweet and warm, his tongue soft against Louis bottom lip, gently easing the mark his teeth just left

 

“You should stop” Louis says with a groan “I don’t have nearly enough time to do what I want to do with you!”

 

“Tell me, tell me exactly what you want Lou,” Harry’s breathe is warm against his ear as he moves his hands up his thighs “Tell me what we’d be doing if we had the time”

Harry’s fingers undo his belt at the same time he zips down his jeans

 

“Shit, shit,” his mind is swimming with a million things

 

“Tell me” Harry says, sinking his teeth into his neck

 

“Fuck sake you’re going to kill me!” Louis tells him with a moan “I want to get my mouth on every inch of you, touch you and taste you,” his voice is low and shaky as Harry lifts him up a little to push his jeans onto his thighs right before he drops his own pants “feel you out under my tongue”

 

“Wana, god, wana make you make that noise again” He moans as he watches Harry run his finger over the tip of himself, coating his fingers in the pre come that’s leaking from himself and moving his hand across Louis “oh shit – The one where you sounded so gone, so desperate for me”

 

“Want to feel the weight of you on my tongue, feel how heavy you are,” Harry moves his fingers to Louis mouth

 

“Suck” he can't help when his eyes drop a little as he wraps his lips round two of Harry’s fingers sucking them gently “you’d take me so well wouldn’t you”

 

He had a voice that was made for saying shit like that, Louis sure if it. He can’t talk so he nods, moaning around the fingers in his mouth.

 

 

Harry pulls his fingers out slowly, he can’t help but move his tongue back to his mouth, dragging spit coating Louis bottom lip before kissing him as he wraps his hand round the both of them.

 

“You’d let me make you take it all Lou?” Their foreheads are smashed together

 

“Yeah, make me choke on you”

 

“Jesus Christ” Harry moans, grip tightening over true two of them

 

“I wana ride you Harry, Wana feel so – fuck so full of you, you know I could don’t you – thought about it haven’t you?” The room is silent aside from the soft moans and hush of their voices

 

“So much, thought about gripping your arse and you sinking down onto me” their lips are barely touching as they talk

 

“You can feel me leaking against your stomach as I ride you – shit that feels so good,” their cocks slide against each other as Harry's fingers wrap round them both “feeling how good you make me feel”

 

“Yeah? You reckon you could come from just riding me Lou? Just from my cock? I reckon you could, you’d find your spot rocking down on me, wouldn’t you?”

 

“Yes, god Yeah Harry fuck, shit,” his head falls against Harry's shoulder “I’m so close how am I so close? Fuck, shit” he moans into Harry’s neck

 

“Hey, look at me – let me see you come please Lou,” Louis lifts his head, bottom lip tucked between his teeth “let me see you come, you look so fucking pretty when you come for me, fuck fuck fuck” Harry moans as he feels himself teetering on the edge

 

“How are you, fuck, how’re you this hot?” Louis moans

 

His hands move to Harry’s hair, his fingers twisted into his curls, tugging softly and that’s what does it, he feels himself coming, hands speeding up around Louis as he uses his come to coat him with

 

“Oh holy fuck,” he groans as Harry’s lips ghost against his own “gona.. shit babe gona come – - oh fuc-“ his head falls onto Harry’s shoulder as the moans fall from his mouth

 

The stay like that for a moment, Louis moaning softly into his ear, Harry’s fingers still wrapped around them.

 

“We should move before we stick together” Louis whispers

 

“I think we made more of a mess than if I’d have just fucked you” Louis looks down at Harry’s hand still wrapped around and covered in the pair of them.

 

“I feel like a teenager” Louis laughs

 

“Yeah? You look like one… sort of!”

 

“Smart arse! Come on, move my arse has gone numb!” He says slapping Harry against the chest

 

**Lovefool – The Cardigans**

 

Thursday comes around before he has chance to even think about it, he has spent the majority of the week writing, he was on it for once. Olivia had seemed to drop her questioning about who he was seeing for the time being, she would still eye his suspiciously any time he had his phone in his hand but the questions had lessened.

 

**To L: Am I still ok to come tonight? Promise to pretend I don’t know you! X**

 

He was looking forward to seeing Louis, not just because he hadn't seen him since Tuesday, but because he wanted to see him in his real life, to see what he was like around his friends... and in shorts, obviously.

 

He hadn't lied when he told Olivia, he told her he was thinking about joining a team. She laughed in his face for 3 straight minutes until she realised he was being serious. Apparently, nobody seemed to think he had enough grace to play football. They were wrong... probably.

 

**From L: You're joking right? Of course you are. I would give anything to see you in shorts. See you soon ; ) x**

 

As he climbs out of his car he realises he has made a mistake. He should not be in his shorts. The rain had started on his way over here and apparently everyone else seemed to realise this and nobody is wearing shorts. In fact, everyone is wrapped up like it’s the middle of winter. He can see Louis smirking as he walks over. It's going to be a long, cold, wet night.

 

“Hi, I'm Harry,” He says as he stops in front of Louis and someone else, he is a little taller than Louis, he is a lot bigger, arms, shoulders, legs, ”I spoke to someone earlier and they said I was ok to just come down?”

 

“Yeah mate of course,” The other guy says “The more the merrier is what we always say isn't it Lou!”

 

“No?” Louis says with his eyebrow raised “You have never once said that!” He laughs

 

“Ignore him, I say it all the time, I’m Liam, this is Louis!” He wraps his arm around Louis and Harry knows they are friends, he has heard Louis talk about him before, it doesn’t stop the insane pang of jealousy from creeping in

 

“Are you not cold?” Louis asks him, he can see the smirk playing on his lips as his eyes travel down his legs

 

“Nah, I like the cold!” He lies. Louis knows it’s a lie too. He may not have known him long but he knows that Harry has to be properly wrapped up when he goes to bed because he constantly complains about being cold, he is the sort of guy that always has his heating on

 

“Let's get going then shall we? Harry, what do you normally play?” He can see Louis laughing as he turns away

 

“I’m pretty versatile actually,” He grins “Just tell me how you want me Liam and I’m sure I can handle it!” He smirks as Louis stares, no longer Laughing

 

“I’ll take him on my team,” Louis shouts “He’s got to be at least fast right? Look at those legs, you can play in front of me,” Louis tells him “I'll sit just behind you and make sure you have all the balls you can handle!” Harry already feels way too flustered, this really wasn’t a good idea

 

Liam looks between the two of them, eyes narrowing a little at Louis, it's like he knows something but he isn't sure what it is he knows.

 

“Do you two know each other?” He asks

 

“Never met him before in my life,” Louis says with a grin “Let's go Haz before you freeze your arse off!” He jogs behind Louis, he watches how he talks to everyone, it's like he has a private joke or a comment that he shares with each person that only they get, he knows everyone. Everyone is his friend and he is just so... so Louis.

 

He is fun and easy to talk to, he is always smiling and laughing and Harry’s heart beats a little too fast as he watches him on the ball. He is strong and powerful, he holds himself up as he takes on player after player.

 

Harry doesn’t do too bad, he doesn’t score, but he doesn’t do anything too embarrassing and he manages to stay on his feet which is always a plus.

 

Somehow his team wins. Thanks to Louis... and Louis alone actually. He has talent, Harry already knew that, he just didn’t know how much. The rest of the lads are talking about going for a drink after the game and they ask Harry, it’s nice, they have only just met him but every single one of them have made him feel like he’s always been a part of it.

 

Liam is nice, he knew he would be from the way that Louis talks about him, he just didn’t realise how nice he would be. He feels like a sort of big brother, its warming too.

 

“I’m going to have to say no this time, thanks though! Maybe next time?” He says and Liam nods “I’ve had a great night so thanks for letting me tag on, see you all later!” He gives them all a quick wave, smiling at Louis once more before he turns in the opposite direction to the rest of them and back towards his car, covered in mud with a smile on his face.

 

It's been a good night.

 

**You and Me – Lifehouse**

 

“So Harry,” Liam says as Harry jogs back towards his car, “I’m guessing he is the reason you have been skipping practice lately?”

 

“What are you talking about Payno?”

 

“He’s the reason for the smile on your face, right? Tell me I'm wrong?” Liam says with a smug look on his face

 

“I have no idea what you are on about, on a completely unrelated note I'm just going to...” He points in Harry's direction as Louis bursts out laughing next to him

 

“Go get him tiger!” He shouts as he runs to catch up with harry, he just sticks two fingers up behind his back

 

It was weird. He wasn’t sure how it was going to work, harry being around people in his actual life. His friends, the people who has seem Louis at his worst as well as his best. The people who know his life inside and out, he didn’t know if or how Harry would fit into that.

 

He fit perfectly though and now it was sort of a problem, now that he knew Harry fit into his life outside the bedroom he was going to want it more and more, want him around more and more. He can't though can he?

 

“Hey, wait!” He shouts as Harry gets to his car. He spins around to Louis, smiling. God, his smile is something else “You just going to go without saying goodbye? You know you could come right? If you think it's because I would mind, I wouldn’t!”

 

Harry doesn’t say anything. He just keeps smiling and pulls Louis in to kiss him. He is kissing him outside and it's so normal. He wants normal with him. He wants to call him his boyfriend and kiss him in front of people without worrying who is watching.

 

“That a good enough goodbye for you?” Harry asks with another quick peck

 

“I guess it was ok,” He shrugs “You sure you're not coming?”

 

“I have to get back to Liv, promised her I would help her with something she is working on,” He is still smiling and Louis wonders if he is doing the same, grinning like a maniac all the time.

 

“Have fun, and if you do ever come again there will be no more flirting with Liam!” Louis tells him

 

“Can't promise that I’m afraid, he’s very fit!” Harry says with a laugh and he knows he is joking, but he hates it. He shouldn’t because he doesn’t have any claim over him.

 

“You're not even funny,” Louis says, he wonders though... Harry is the only person that he is seeing. Is he the only person Harry is seeing? Are they on the same page? “Hey, before you go...” He pauses, unsure how to actually say it

 

“What's up babe?” Babe. God, babe! How can one word drive his so crazy?

 

“this,” he gestures between them both “like is it, are you with anyone else?” He asks, he knows his voice is quite and his words aren't as brash as normal, he feels shy for the first time in 38 years

 

“you're joking right?” Harry asks, he looks genuinely confused “Have I given you the impression that there is more than you?”

 

“No, you haven't I just don’t like to assume!”

 

“No Lou, there hasn’t been anyone else since you. As weird as it is to say out loud when we are, whatever it is we are, but there hasn’t, I don’t need anyone else,” he shrugs and Louis is jealous of the way he is able to say it out loud like it's perfectly normal “What about you? Are there other people?”

 

“No, god no!” Louis tells him “Don't think I've even looked at another person since your first message, is that weird?”

 

“Not weird at all, kinda nice actually!” Harry tells him with another peck on his lips “Now we have established that, you should probably run along before Liam starts to get jealous!”

 

Louis cant talk, even if he could he doesn’t know what he would say anyway. He just grins as he slowly walks away backwards, not wanting to miss his face for any longer than he has to.

 

Who the fuck is he?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He stands up and moves to the window. It's like he just doesn’t want to listen. It was going so well. Like for the first time in what seemed like forever he saw something other than just spending the weekend with Olivia. He saw a future. He saw himself taking stupid trips or staying in bed as long as they could, he saw them Living together. He even saw marriage for fuck sake. 
> 
> It's his own fault. He shouldn’t have jumped so quickly. He shouldn’t have let himself be consumed by Louis just because he was the first guy to show him some attention that wasn’t a bellend. 
> 
> But it wasn’t just that. He loves him. He knows he loves him. They just work, they fit. 
> 
> "hey are you listening to me?" Louis asks, his hand against Harry's shoulder 
> 
> "yeah, you're moving to Ireland" he says, voice low

**Just Like Heaven – The Cure**   

 

Things get better and better. It's not that Harry didn’t think they would... ok so he did. He thought that with them having to sneak around, with only seeing each other when they could and hiding away from everyone that it would be hard. And it is, of course it is, but it's also so great.  It’s like it's just theirs.  

 

They see each other as often as they can, it seems to be at least twice a week and the minute, the second the girls are they are planning something. He hasn’t smiled this much in a long, long time.  

 

Louis has the ability to do that, to make him smile. Sometimes it's something as small as just a kiss on the shoulder when he gets out bed, even though he thinks Harry is still sleeping. It’s small things that mean more than he ever thought they could. 

 

1 months turns into 2, 2 turns into 3, 3 into 4... it's nice. It's natural. He can't explain the excitement he gets in his chest when he sees him, even now it's like it’s the first time he is seeing him. Everything about him is bright, he's brought the sunshine back into Harry's life and he loves it. 

 

It's Sarah's weekend to have Olivia and the girls are at their grans which means Harry gets Louis properly. Weekends like this don't match up that often, but when they do they like to take advantage of them, and that just means Harry persuades Louis to keep his clothes off all weekend while he feeds him snacks.  

 

"Fucking hell do you have the heating on? It's like a million degrees out there are you trying to kill me?" Louis complains the second he walks through the door but Harry ignores him as he wraps his hands around his waist and pulls him into him  

 

"Missed you!" He mumbles into his hair "Like so much, feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" In reality it had been less than two days, but Harry is nothing if not dramatic 

 

"Missed you too! You're making me hot though babe, can we turn the heating off? Please?" He asks with a pout 

 

"It's broken, the man can't come until Monday so I've just had to open all the windows!" He says  

 

It's true. It had been broken for 3 days now, not that Harry minded, he preferred being overly hot to overly cold. The man on the phone didn’t really help, he just mumbled something about bleeding his radiators and then said a bunch of big words that Harry didn’t understand. He knows he is probably taking advantage of the fact he doesn't have a clue what's going on! 

 

"When you say broken?..." Louis asks with his hands on his hips 

 

"I don’t know? Like it won't go off, I've turned it off but it won't go off, I don't know Lou I'm not Bob the builder! Not going to lie I'm a little offended that you seem to be giving my boiler more attention than me" 

 

"Can I see? It's just it's so hot and honestly, you're huge! You radiate heat and I can’t be doing with that babe!" Harry wants to argue, but honestly? The second Louis calls him 'babe' he forgets! 

 

He leads him to his boiler and Louis stares at it for a moment, resting on his thighs as he concentrates with a squint. He doesn’t know if he actually knows what he is doing. It looks like he does though, its sort of hot. Harry watches him fiddle about a little for a second before he presses a button. The boiler makes a weird nose before flashing red twice and turning green 

 

"There!" Louis says as he stands up 

   
"What did you just do?" Harry asks peering over his shoulder  

   
"I just reset it!" Louis says like it's obvious! "Please tell me you tried that?" He mocks  

   
"Yes. Obviously, I did!... while you're here though can you just show me again once more just in case next time I forget!" Louis spends the rest of the day laughing at him.  

**Royal Highness – Tom** **Grennan**   

 

"Ducks?" Harry asks "we are feeding ducks?"  

 

It’s the first time they have gone out of the house properly together. Sure they had to drive a million miles away from home to make sure they don’t get noticed together but at least they are  _together._ They even manage to hold hands, it's never really been something Louis has been into, the hand holding. He was always too warm to want to have someone else's sweaty hand around his own. Somehow though, with Harry, it just works. 

 

"No, you shouldn’t feed ducks bread!"  Louis tells him  

 

"I mean that's a lie, they love bread! Look that woman is letting that kid throw bread in, can I throw some in?" He asks, Louis knows that not 5 minutes ago Harry didn’t want to throw bread in. He also knows that Harry has the mentality of a child, so now he knows he can't, he  _wants._  

 

"Google it! Ducks can't have bread, don’t fight me on it and keep walking please!!" He says with a slap against Harry's arse. 

 

He takes his hand as he pulls him passed the children feeding the ducks, trying and failing not to laugh at the pout on his face. He leads him through the rest of the park with not much more conversation, he had told Harry they were going somewhere but didn’t tell him more than that. 

 

But Louis had already spoken to Niall, he knows that Olivia is at her mums this weekend, the girls have gone around to their grans and Louis saw an opportunity. Niall secretly packed a bag for Harry and Louis has booked a cute little bed and breakfast for them for the night.  

 

“This isn’t ducks!” Harry says as Louis drops his hand to pull out his phone as they come to a stop  

 

“You’re very observant today love, did you have an extra Weetabix this morning?” He feels Harry nudge his arm as he chuckles  

 

“What are we doing here?”  

 

“Eating, sleeping, probably fucking, it depends babe, what do you want to do?” He asks looking up at Harry who is just staring back at him. He doesn’t remember the last time he felt this comfortable with someone, the last time he felt able to happily call someone babe and not cringe at himself 

 

“Here? Now?” Harry asks  

 

“Oh, not as observant as I first thought! Yes, now! We are staying here! I know we could have spent the time together at home but this is just…” 

 

“Beautiful?” Harry asks when Louis doesn’t finish his sentence “it’s beautiful! Did you do this for me? I thought you and the girls…” 

 

“I lied! Niall helped me, I text him quickly explained who I was and asked him to pack you a bag for me! Some let’s go get checked in!” 

 

Louis let’s his eyes travel around the reception area of the B&B. The photos hadn’t done it justice. Louis is sure it’s the prettiest place he has ever stayed. The walls are a dark wood, but it doesn’t feel as dark as it should. Low chandeliers are above their heads and big open windows let in soft streaks of sunlight. Everything seems sort of magical. 

 

“Wow,” Harry mumbles  

 

“Hi, reservation under Tomlinson, and I think you have my bag?” Louis tells the woman behind the desk, he planned ahead, brought their bags up last night. That way Harry wouldn’t get suspicious, he wanted to make it special. 

 

“Wow!” Harry mutters a little louder his time, his hand landing on the bottom of Louis back as his eyes travel around the place  

 

“Here you go mr Tomlinson, I’ve upgraded the room we had a last minute cancellation and it would be a shame to waste it,” she tells him as she slides the book over for him to sign 

 

“Oh wow thank you!” He tells her, he can see Harry wandering off towards the windows with a grin on his face  

 

“There you go, room 8, dinner is served at 7 and breakfast is half 7 but feel free to join us wherever, if you need anything do not hesitate to ask! Enjoy your stay!”  

 

**Can’t Help Falling in Love** **with** **You –** **Twenty One** **Pilots**   

   
Harry traces his fingers across the deep mahogany rose beading that lines the walls. The contrast of light and dark makes him smile, the soft pinks of the roses they have covering the dark mahogany sideboard they sit on. He knows that Louis has picked this place for him. This isn't somewhere Louis would pick for himself. He knows that Harry likes this, likes the attention to detail. The way that the plush velvet curtains that hang next to the windows are the same dusty pink as the welcome mat at the front door. 

 

He loves that. 

 

He grins at Louis links their fingers together and drags him down the corridor. The corridors are just as pretty as reception. Even the doors, thick and heavy real wooden doors. He can't help but smile as he runs his fingers over the panels 

   
"This is so beautiful Lou,"  

   
"Yeah? You like it? I wasn’t too sure if you'd wan -" Harry cuts him off as the door closes behind them, lips on Louis. It's different to any kiss they have ever shared, it's soft and sweet, it's slow and steady. Harry feels it in his chest. 

 

"Lou, I ..." He pauses to look down, he can't help but feel all sorts of things when he looks at Louis, he hasn’t known him that long. Not really, but he loves him. He knew it before today. He knew it every time he looked at Louis grinning up at him first thing of a morning, even though he knows he isn't a morning person.  

   
"Thank you, this is wonderful and you didn't have to, so thank you!" He tells him, let himself kiss away the 'I love you' that’s on his tongue.  

   
"no problem, thought it would be a nice change from sneaking about and shit right? Plus, down the road is a museum and they have a Lowry exhibition on and I remember you saying how much you used to go to the one back home with your mum, so I thought we could do that?"  

   
"You hate Lowry? You hate most art for that matter!" Harry tells him, eyebrows raised 

 

"yes, but I'm rather fond of you!" He reaches up on his tiptoes to kiss Harry. He can't stop himself from wrapping his arms round him and lifting him up    
 

"I'm going to thank you so hard later, you’ve been warned!" 

   
“Yeah?” Louis asks with a grin and Harry wants to say something filthy, say something disgustingly dirty that he knows would push Louis to the point he does just rip his clothes off. He doesn’t want to though. 

   
He doesn’t want that right now. He just wants to kiss him and be with him and even though he might have realised he loved him before today, this is different. He is in love with him, the way he looks at him, the way he smiles and laughs. The way his eyes really do sparkle when he is happy. It's all so much and Harry feels like he is getting lost in him. 

 

His stomach is doing that thing, like butterflies that fill it are going mental, causing his heart to pound harder in his chest. All of this has thrown him. He can't read Louis, he doesn’t know where he stands, not really and up until today he thought he was out there on his own but the more he thinks about this, this room, this bed and breakfast, all this that Louis has planned for him, specifically for him, he thinks maybe they are on the same page after all.  

 

**Heartbeats – Jose Gonzalez**   

 

"I just don’t get it ok!" Louis says, hands in the air in defeat.  

 

They had been stood looking at 'Man on a Wall' for 15minutes now. Harry had told him how it was one of his favourite Lowry paintings and Louis just didn’t understand why.  

 

Apart from the two of them, there wasn’t many other people around. Up until this picture Louis had been happy with Harry's answers to his millions of questions about what makes Lowry's pictures great ("He painted what he knew, poor, down-trodden Salford. And dogs!") he just couldn’t get passed this. 

   
"It's literally just a man on a wall!" He points out 

 

"The one where they were all at the beach, or the one of the sea, or the one where he painted everyone on their way to the match... they were all literal. They were just what he saw! They don’t mean anything more than that, there isn't anything behind these apart from what he saw!"  

   
"So why is this one your favourite then?" Louis asks and Harry sighs, he is losing his temper with him. Louis has to bite back a smile, he loves to push him. His cheeks get a soft shade of red and it makes Louis insides feel warm. 

 

"Honestly?" He asks and Louis just nods "It’s the first painting of his I ever remember," he shrugs "I don’t have some profound answer about the meaning behind it or what it makes me feel, it's just what I remember! Mum had taken Gems and I to Peel Park and it started raining so we went into the museum," He smiles as he talks, Louis heart is flipping out like crazy as he smiles back at him "Have you ever been?"  

   
"No, not that I remember anyway!" 

 

"Well they have this old street, right? It's like from the early 1900's, there are shops and pubs, little houses that you can look into... Cobbled streets too! Honestly it was great! They had a box of clothes you could dress up in, flat caps and what not! So, we did! Gemma dressed me up as some old-fashioned woman and she stuck on the flat cap and big coat," He laughs at the memory "We went upstairs to see these," He points to the paintings around them "I don't really remember much, just mum telling me to look for a dog in every painting, and then this!" He points to the man on the wall 

 

"We used to go during the 6 weeks holidays every year, I would always come back to this! I think it's because I really enjoyed the day ya know? It was the first time I realised we could have fun without spending money," He laughs "Like I properly enjoyed myself even thought there was no fair or I wasn’t asking for something! It was just fun!" 

 

They are both quiet for a while. Harry's hand now closed in between Louis two hands as he watches him. His eyes are shining in a way Louis doesn't know how to explain. He's happy, but it's something else, maybe nostalgia. 

   
It's then that Louis realises that it’s the first proper thing Harry has shared. Like sure he knows bits about him, but this is the first thing that is truly Harry. It's how he was turned into the person he is.  

 

"And you said you didn't have a profound reason! You realised the importance of family fun that day my friend!" Louis tells him "I never did," He admits "At least I never thought I did. There was always so many of us that we never really did the fair and circus and shit, so I always wanted it! I think i realised after mum died how much I enjoyed doing stuff with them all though, the making up games in the garden or putting on plays … I guess you don’t have to have money to have good childhood!" 

 

"Yeah you don’t need money, I'm sorry you didn’t get the fairs and circus though!" Harry tells him  

 

"Don't be, I know now I didn't really miss out on much," He shrugs "Couldn’t all be made of money like you!"  

 

"Oi!" Harry says with a light slap to his arm "We didn't have that much money, we were just a smaller family I guess, we really struggled for a bit when my dad first left!"  

   
"Is that why you're the way you are with Olivia?" He asks  

   
"How am I?" Harry asks confused  

   
"You’re... like, you give her what she wants! She could ask for anything and you'd give it to her!"  

 

"Are you saying I spoil her?" He asks pulling his hand away 

 

"No, god Harry no," He laughs "I'm saying you would give her anything  _if_ she asked for it! You also seemed to have brought her up well enough that she doesn’t ask, doesn't expect – like she knows you could afford it but she doesn't push!"  

 

"Oh," He says, taking Louis hand between his own this time "That’s ok then!"  

 

"You and Sarah have raised her very well! Honestly, she's great!" 

   
"Thanks, it was hard... I mean forget about us! Look at you, you had to do twice the work and do it on your own!" Harry tells him  

   
"nah, I had my mum for a while, I had her mum and Zayn, honestly without Zayn I don’t know what I would do! Even just finically, for a while I thought I was going to lose the house! Zayn had just got his record deal and helped me out, hated even thinking about needing help, but he didn’t make it weird, he just did it and that was it, a shrug and he forgot about it!" 

   
"I never did though, and as soon as I could, I paid him back! The girls don’t know it, but he put the money into accounts for them for when they turn 18 – get a car or whatever!" He loves Zayn, he had been there since Louis was old enough to remember, if he didn't have him after Claire had gone he would have crumbled. Without a doubt. 

 

"I'm glad you had Zayn, I'm just glad that you had everything you needed to get you here and with me!" 

   
"here with you and L.S. Lowry!" Louis clarifies "What does the L.S stand for anyway?" 

 

"Laurence Stephen... it literally says it in massive letters as we walked in here, was you even paying attention?" 

 

"I was paying attention to you! Your face lit up like a kid and I couldn't help but stare!"  

 

"My face did not! I was just... it's just nice," He shrugs as he wraps his arm around Louis shoulder "This has just been an incredible surprise, like not just... You remembered I liked Lowry enough to plan this for us? You're incredible, I'm very lucky!" Me too. Louis thinks. 

 

**Look After You - The Fray**   

   
There were a lot of things Harry remembered about his life. The first time he kissed someone, the first time he told someone he loved them, the first time Olivia walked and talked... there have been a lot. He thought that once he reached a certain age, 35 to be exact. He thought once he reached 35 he would be done with having new firsts to remember. 

 

Today he had a new one. A new first, a new memory that he would remember forever. The first time he felt special... which is ridiculous. He is 36, but he does. Louis made him feel like that.  

 

No matter what happened with Louis he wouldn’t forget today.  He won't forget walking round an art exhibition with someone, holding hands and laughing and smiling.  

 

He won't forget sharing a bottle of cheap champagne while eating terrible Italian. He also won't forget to never judge a restaurant by how pretty their lights look, it normally means their pasta is shit. 

 

"I've had a really nice time today Lou, thank you, I mean I know I've said that already, but honestly-" 

 

"You don’t have to say thanks, I've enjoyed every moment of it too! Have to give him his due, Lowry wasn’t half bad!" Harry can't help but roll his eyes at him 

   
"Half bad? He was the greatest artist to ever come out of Manchester I'll have you know!"  

 

"Manchester? Really Harry?" He says with one eyebrow raised and he can't help but roll his eyes yet again, smiled plastered on his face 

 

"Fine, Salford! Fuck off you know what I meant!" 

 

"Tell us all about your ways and all them Salford says is it true you're just an ordinary chap?" He sings 

   
"You know Matchstick Men? I thought it was a Salford Rugby thing?" Harry asks stopping Louis outside their room  

 

"Nah, I think even though he's from Salford it’s a northern thing, right? Like a rite of passage? Your nan talks about the olden days and references the song!" He laughs  

 

Harry takes the key out of his hand as he smiles at him. He opens the door and takes his hand, dragging him in. The second the door is closed he presses Louis against it, lips against his neck as Harry slips off his jacket.  

   
Louis pushes against him, Harry's lips still attached to his neck gently sucking as Louis walks them towards the bed. He can feel his heart rate pick up as he feels soft fingers against his face, gently pulling him closer as they fall back onto the bed. He shuffles back a little, letting Louis straddle him. 

 

It's different. It feels different. He has been with Louis plenty of times. This feels different. It feels like more. 

 

**Eternity – Robbie Williams**   

 

“How do you want me,” Louis asks. Leaning forward a little so he can bring his lips close enough to Harry’s that he can feel his breathe against his own.  

 

“Like this,” his voice is no more than a whisper “just want to feel you Louis, want to see you and feel you, god you’re so beautiful!”  

 

Harry’s hands move up his sides slowly, like he wants to feel every part of Louis, he feels his heart rate speed up as he does. It’s like every inch of him is on fire!

 

  

He watches as he pulls his shirt over his hair, slowly he moves his hands up louis thighs, fingers dragging across the skin a little, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. He’s body is so receptive, it’s like his skin talks to him.

 

“I’ve never met anyone like you,” Harry tells him honestly. It’s a thing he’s found himself doing a lot lately, just saying what’s in his head without actually thinking about it

 

“That’s a good thing though, right?” Louis asks, eyebrow raised

 

“The best!” He nods “you make me smile, you make me laugh, I’ve never had that and been this insanely attracted to someone before,” their voices are low enough for only each other to hear, like they are scared that if they speak any louder it will be ruined

 

“Is it weird that I feel exactly the same?” Louis asks, a small smile on his lips, almost as if he’s shy “I’ve not this a lot of this in the past like 20 years but when I have? It’s never been like this,” his fingers move across Harry’s chest softly and it drives him wild

 

“Kiss me please,” he leans forward once more, kissing Harry slowly, one hand against his chest and the other pressed to his cheek.

 

Louis stands up on the bed above Harry, laughing as he steadies himself on the headboard while trying to take off his jeans. Harry shimmies out of his own as he watches him.

 

“So,” Louis says moving back to straddle Harry “I may have nipped to the toilet a little earlier!”

 

“What did you do?” Harry asks

 

“I just didn’t want to have to wait for you to fuck me!” Louis whines as he grinds down onto Harry

 

“Fuck, you didn’t?”

 

“I did,” he smirks “I’m ready and I wana ride you!”

 

“You sure you’re ready?” Harry asks, as much as he wants to feel Louis around him, he doesn’t want to hurt him!

 

“I prepped properly, scouts honour!” He says, his lips pressed against Harry’s “let me ride you, please babe?” Harry can’t help but groan at the word. Louis knows exactly what he’s doing!

 

Harry pushes himself up a little, resting back against the head board as Louis wraps a hand around him and Harry is sure he’s never been this hard before!

 

“Quick question,” Louis says, “when was the last time you got tested?”

 

“About 4 month ago, why?”

 

“Me too, and I haven’t been with anyone but you,” Harry knows what he is saying, what he is suggesting but he needs to hear him say it, needs the words out of his mouth

 

“Me neither,” he tells him

 

“Do you wana?” And god he does, he really does

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yeah, you have no idea how badly I just want to feel you, just you!” He can’t help the way his fingers dig a little deeper into his thighs at the words

 

“Fuck, please!” He moans

 

He watches Louis then, unable to say much more! He watches as Louis holds him steady and sinks down onto him. He’s never seen a more beautiful sight. It’s like it’s a scene from a film that’s been directed to look so fucking beautiful, the soft light from the window hits Louis face as the same time as he throws his head back with a moan, his skin all but glistens a soft golden colour in the same light and it’s almost too much.

 

All he can do is hold onto his thighs, alternating between softly stroking them and digging his nails in. He feels so hot as Louis rides him, the muscles in his stomach tightening as he moves.

 

“Fuck, Louis,” he whines, voice broken “baby,”

 

“I can’t,” he falls forward a little, Harry’s hands coming up to meet his chest, their foreheads pressed against one another “you feel so good, so good,” his lips ghost over Harry’s, so close he can feel the moans that fall from Louis mouth

 

“You’re so beautiful, like this, always,” Harry tells him as his hands move to his waist, holding him as he thrusts up to meet Louis sinking down into him

 

“Shit,”

 

“Take me so well don’t you Lou,” Harry whispers “look at you, made for riding me, so fucking perfect!”

 

He can feel how close he is, he can feel it bubbling up inside him like he’s been edging for weeks!

 

He wraps his hand around Louis hard cock, pulling him and teasing him as he fucks up into him

 

“Tell me when you’re close,” Harry moans “wana come with you!”

 

“So close, I was the second you touched me,” Louis laughs his fingers digging into Harry’s chest

 

“Hold on for me babe, just a little longer,” Harry tells him

 

Louis is looking down at him, he looks drunk or high. His pupils blown as he runs his tongue over his bottom lip, god, how can every single thing look so fucking hot.

 

“Baby, fuck Lou, come for me!” Harry groans and he doesn’t expect him to, doesn’t expect it to happen as if almost on command but he does, he’s spilling onto Harry’s chest as he feels himself coming deep inside him.

 

The noise that leaves Louis mouth is probably one that he’s never going to forget, he sounds so, so gone. It’s more of a growl than it is a moan and Harry will be hearing it every time he closes his eyes, it’s so animalistic and raw. So fucking hot.

 

He leaves kisses along Louis jaw as he tries to get his breath back, neither of them most, just staying there together sweaty and sticky but completely blissed out

 

**I Think She Knows – Justin Timberlake**   

 

Something is different, he can feel it before he even opens his eyes. He’s smiling. Smiling in his sleep. He scrubs his hand over his face before he slowly opens his eyes. 

 

If he thought the room was beautiful last night it’s nothing compared to how it looks in the slow slight of dawn. The soft pinks and oranges that find their way through the blinds look like explosions of pretty fireworks.  

 

He rolls over, Louis sound asleep next to him. He can’t help but smile as he watches him, he brushes his hair out of his face as he tries to stop himself being creepy! 

 

He wishes they didn’t have to leave. He wishes they could spend all day lay here beside each other, not doing anything in particular, just being together.

 

He hates how sickly it is, he hates how very rom-com it all feels. He doesn’t know to handle it.

 

“It’s creepy to stare at people while they sleep,” Louis mumbles, faces smushed against the pillow

 

“You already knew I was creepy though so he doesn’t count,” Harry laughs as he runs his fingers through his hair

 

“I like you creepy, what time is it?” He asks, one eye still closed

 

“It’s only early, we have plenty of time so go back to sleep,” Harry tells him as he snuggles a little closer

 

“Can you keep playing with my hair? I like that!” Louis asks, already half asleep so Harry does, because Louis asked and right now? He would probably do just about anything for him.

 

**Everything Changes – Take That**   

 

Louis spent the following week on cloud 9. His heart felt like it was on fire, but in a good way. He felt so wrapped up in Harry, just thinking about him,  _feeling_  about him. God did he feel.  

 

 He straightened his tie as he climbed out of his car, checking his hair in the reflection of the window one last time before he headed into the building.  

 

He had an interview. A job interview. He hadn't told anyone because he didn’t want to jinx it, but there was a job opening at the college not too far from the school and he went for it. He had wanted to do it for so long, but it was always little longer hours and with having to take the girls to school and pick them up, it was just a little out of reach. Now was the perfect time. He was shitting himself though. He had been in the same job since he qualified and change? He wasn’t a fan. 

 

The corridors seem longer and taller than Louis had pictured, it all seems so real, so grown up. He takes a breath before he knocks on the door. This is it. 

 

"Professor Tomlinson I presume?" An older woman says as she opens the door, she smiles at him as she steps aside to let him in  

   
"please, just Louis is fine," Nobody knows that he is a professor either. He took the exams about 6 months ago and he didn't expect to pass, he had been doing the work at night when the girls were in bed and he just didn’t feel like it was going to be enough. 

 

He was constantly surprising himself these days 

 

"Louis, please do sit down. I'm Diane Hargrove, we spoke on the phone," She says "This is Professor Gingham – Head of English and Professor Singh – Head of Science" he looks at the 3 faces staring at him and he feels suddenly overwhelmed. Professor Gingham was barely looking at him. Louis could tell he was going to be a tough one to crack. 

 

Then Harry pops into his head. Nothing specific, just him, just smiling. He feels a sense of calm wash over him, just like that. 

   
"You'll have to forgive me," He says "I haven't had an interview in about 10 years," he laughs  

 

"oh please," Professor Singh says "This is just formalities to see what type of person you are – you more or less have the job, this is just a chat" He tell louis 

 

"Having said that," Professor Gingham says "We won't just be handing this job to you on a plate. We need to know you're cut out for it. This is a big change for you, what makes you think you could handle the students, these students are older – we're getting them ready to become adults as well as give them a possible carer choice, do you think you could handle that?" He asks and Louis smiles through the panic. Yep Professor Gingham clearly isn't a fan.  

 

"I actually have girls starting college this year, twins, and I know that I would do anything to help them, whether it's just a bit of advice or a gentle push towards something that I know they can achieve, they're a handful at times but it’s the most rewarding thing in the world!" Diane and Professor Singh smile and nod at him, Professor Gingham just looks down at the sheet in his lap, Louis can already tell how badly its going. How can someone hate him after knowing him all of 2 minutes.  

 

"If I can just..." He pauses for a second, like he knows what he is going to say. He doesn’t, "Look, I've been there ok? I was a pain in the arse when I was in college, like I was the worst!" He laughs "I understand that sometimes you need to push someone and sometimes you need to just step back and just let them be! You're right, they are becoming adults and I think it's important we treat them like that. I want students to come to my class because they enjoy taking it as much as I love teaching it," He smiles  

 

"To quote our pal Willy Shakes," He cringes at himself as he speaks, but he sees Professor Singh grinning at him "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them," Professor Gingham looks up at him "I just want to teach that, that greatness is all around, whether you were born with it or I'm helping them find it! I want them to know that they can all be great, they all will be great!" He sighs  

 

"Is that what you teach your daughters?" Professor Gingham asks  

   
"It's what I've been teaching them since they were old enough to listen, if they came home tonight and told me they don't want to go to college and they want to run away and join the circus, I would tell them that they would be the best Circus people I've ever seen and do whatever i can to help them be the best!" God he doesn't even know what he is talking about right now, but all three of them smile at him and it feels... it feels like something. 

 

They all shake his hand on the way out, Professor Singh giving him a pat on the back and a smirk like he knows something Louis doesn’t. "Thank you again, for seeing me and I look forward to hearing back from you Professor Gingham," He tells him as he walks Louis out  

 

"Please, call me Nigel, it was lovely to meet you and we have to talk about it with the rest of the Heads, but I think it's fair to say you're going to fit in here perfectly Louis!" He tells him, shaking his hand once more. He feels his stomach flipping out 

 

"well... thank you, honestly, thank you!" He says as he leaves 

 

That went better than he could have expected. 

 

The first thing he wants to do is message Harry. To tell him all about it, but he can't. He needs to wait until it's all official because knowing his luck, he will jinx it. When he does find out though, he knows Harry is the first person he wants to tell, to share it with.  

 

That feels like something big. Maybe this is it, maybe they should tell the girls? Maybe they can do this. 

 

 

**Happiness – Alexis Jordan**   

 

Harry stares at the screen, his head pounding as he tries and fails for what seems like the millionth time to get the next chapter of his book written. He doesn’t even know where he is going. He had such a good plan, such a strong plan.  

 

The plan had gone to shit. He tried just typing just to see what his fingers came out with, he tried thinking about it, he tried re-writing his plan, he had even tried re-reading everything he had written but he just couldn’t get anything new or fresh onto the sheet.  

 

 **To L: Wana come round later? Could really do with some cheering up, Liv said she was going to yours to see Bailey so I thought you could some here for a bit? Xx**  

 

Louis can help him out of his ditch. Louis helps him out of every ditch. He thinks back over last weekend, Louis had planned it all and there wasn’t a part of Harry that hadn't loved. From the place he picked to the Lowry exhibition, it was just perfect. Nobody had ever done anything like that for him. 

 

Niall had spent the whole week smirking at him every time he saw him and Olivia had been eyeing him suspiciously every time she caught him grinning to himself as he thought about the weekend. He knows he should tell her, it's just gone too far for that now.  

 

 **From L: Yeah I'd love that. Feel like I haven't seen you in forever! I mean it's been that long that the bruise you left on my hip is almost gone. We can't be having that xx**  

 

He smiles down at his phone, one of his favourite parts of Louis body as his hips. The boy had curves and Harry had an obsession. 

 

 **To L: Well come round and I will see if I can't fix it! Is it weird that I proper miss you? I know it's only been a few days but I** **miiiiiiiissssss** **you xx**  

 

He had never really been good with talking about his feelings after Sarah, he had gone from wearing his heart on his sleeve to being the complete opposite. He would hide away from how he really felt and not talk about the possibility of proper love, he thought that, that ship had sailed and he would spend the rest of his life on his own and he sort of just accepted it.  

 

Louis made him feel differently thought, like he felt... what? What did he feel? He wasn’t sure he even knew. He knew that he loved Louis, there is no way he couldn't, he had no chance against him, but its more than that, it feels more than that.  

 

He looks back at his screen, words suddenly finding their way onto the screen like they had been in him all the time, he doesn't even think, he just types. He feels inspired.  

 

**All Falls Down – Kayne**   

 

He hears the door go as he throws the chicken into the pan. He smiles to himself as he hears the girls laughing. This is what he wants. He wants this warm fuzzy feeling in his chest and his daughters around him. 

 

He lets his mind wander a little, he imagines Harry here with him. The girls coming home to have them both cooking so they can all sit down and eat together. Christmas and birthdays together, Halloweens and bonfire nights. He wants to spend them all with Harry.  

   
“How was netball?” He asks Bailey as she grins at him “I’m guessing it was good?”  

 

Bailey and Bonnie sit down at the table, both grinning at him and its weird. They either want something or they have done something.  

 

“What did you do?” He asks, mainly looking at Bonnie. Out of the two of them she was the trouble causer, she was Louis! 

   
“Nothing!” She says with a roll of her eyes  

   
“What's going on then?”  

 

“We spoke to mum!” Bailey says and she's smiling, it's a lot different from the last time she spoke to her 

   
“Ok?” He asks  

 

“Well, she was talking about the baby and us and everything and,” 

 

“She asked us to move to Ireland!” Bonnie says, interrupting Bailey like she couldn’t wait for her to get it out. 

 

“What do you mean?” He asks them  

 

“Well she didn’t ask us, but she suggested that we could and that we should! She said she misses us!” Bailey tells him and his stomach sinks as he realises what it is they're saying to him  

   
“You want to move to Ireland? Now? Us all move to Ireland?” He sits down at the table with them  

   
“Isn't it great?” Bonnie asks, “It’s perfect timing and it will be so good dad!” He looks at them both, the two girls that he brought up, the ones he worked two jobs for, the ones he stopped dating for, the ones who he moulded his life around and they're happy. He would always do anything for them.  

 

He wants to laugh, only it isn't funny. Here he is thinking about his life with harry when they truth is, he doesn't have a life with Harry and honestly, he never did.  

 

He doesn’t really hear much else that is said, he smiles in all the right places and listens to their plans. 

   
“What do you think dad?” Bailey asks as they sit down to eat  

 

“I will think about it love,” He smiles, he tries to make it seem as genuine as he can. He is sure he is failing “Remember I said I was going to see Liam for a bit tonight?” He asks them  

   
“Yeah, we will be fine,” Bonnie tells him with a smile.  

   
Tonight is not going to be as fun as he thought.  

 

 

**The Wire – HAIM**   

  

"Thank god you were able to come" Harry says pulling Louis closer the second he got through the door "Honestly I feel like I'm having withdrawals, I know it's- -hey, what's wrong?" Harry asks at a frowning Louis 

 

"nothing, I'm just tired, could I have a drink?" He asks softly and Harry can't help but raise his eyebrow as he laughs 

   
"Since when have you taken to asking?" Louis doesn’t laugh back though "ok then, give me a sec" He watches as Louis goes ands sits down, his face just looks... so un-Louis like. He's used to the happy-go-lucky-even-when-he-is-grumpy-he's-still-smiling-Louis! Not whoever it is that is currently sat on his couch 

 

"There you go, only have red hope that’s ok" Louis takes the glass off him and swallows it down in two gulps "I mean I'm no wine connoisseur babe but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to chug up, what's wrong?" He asks, sitting down next to him 

   
"we need to talk, well I need to talk!" He says avoiding Harry's eyes. 

   
His stomach falls. 

   
"oh, then maybe I should get the bottle" he says but Louis shakes his head  

   
"No, let's just..." He looks up at Harry for the first time, his hair is soft, like he hasn’t got a single bit of product in it and all Harry wants to do is wrap his fingers through it "I think we need to stop seeing each other, actually I know we do"  

 

"what? Why? Is this because of the girls because I thought we sorted -" 

 

"it is, and it isn't... H, Harry – they want to move to Ireland," His mouth is still moving but Harry can't hear him anymore 

 

He stands up and moves to the window. It's like he just doesn’t want to listen. It was going so well. Like for the first time in what seemed like forever he saw something other than just spending the weekend with Olivia. He saw a future. He saw himself taking stupid trips or staying in bed as long as they could, he saw them Living together. He even saw marriage for fuck sake. 

   
It's his own fault. He shouldn’t have jumped so quickly. He shouldn’t have let himself be consumed by Louis just because he was the first guy to show him some attention that wasn’t a bellend. 

   
But it wasn’t just that. He loves him. He knows he loves him. They just work, they fit. 

   
"hey are you listening to me?" Louis asks, his hand against Harry's shoulder 

 

"yeah, you're moving to Ireland" he says, voice low 

 

"can you talk to me?" 

 

"And say what? You know I don’t want you to go and I know that it doesn’t matter" he shrugs 

 

"it's not that simple Haz," 

 

"it is Louis, you didn’t come here and say you were moving away, you came here and said you wanted this - " he points between the two of them "whatever this is, to stop... then you told me you were moving away!" 

 

"It’s the same thing" He says looking confused 

 

"If it was me? I'd have said I have to move away, here are a million reasons why this shouldn’t change anything, why we can work it out, it's Ireland not the other side of the world. That’s where we are different though right? This means something different to me,"  

 

"I lo-I like you," Harry says, stopping the word  _love_ tumbling off his lips "It’s the first time in a long time that I've," he sighs running his hands through his have "That I've  _liked_  someone"  

   
Louis is looking at him, his face filled with something he can't quite put his finger on, he's unsure if it's love or pity. He doesn’t know if he is looking at him like that because he feels sorry for him or because he feels the same 

 

"We can't do long distance," he says softly "I can't do that! Do you know how hard it would be? Christ it's hard enough now with the sneaking about and the barely being able to see you! Add in the fucking English Channel and I'm not sure how it's supposed to work" 

 

"You don't even want to try?" Harry asks, voice a little louder 

   
"What's the point when it-" 

 

"what's the point?" Harry shouts 

 

"what's the point when it's going to end in fucking tears!" Louis screams back "I'm ending it now rather than 3 months down the line when it's even harder" he says a little quieter 

 

"So really you're doing me a favour?" Harry asks sarcastically "How kind of you!"  

 

"Harry, please," 

 

"I think you should go Louis!" It takes everything to stop himself from crying   
 

"I don’t want to go yet, there is so much more I have to say," He tells Harry, his voice cracking a little "I have things I want to say" 

 

"Unless those words are we can work it out... I don’t want to hear them Louis," He laughs "Actually I can't hear them!" 

 

He watches Louis face, he looks like he's going to say something, but nothing comes out. Harry wants to grab him and kiss him. Beg him to reconsider, fucking tell the girls they're staying here if he has to, just don’t leave him. Not when things were just going well.   
 

He watches as he turns away from him, only turning back once he gets to the doorway, once again he opens his mouth to say something before he quickly closes it and walks out.  

 

He can't stop them. The tears just fall. It's like someone's opened a flood gate and he can't get it closed. He needs to go to bed, because if he doesn’t he just knows he's going to get drunk and do something stupid.


	6. Chapter 6

**Falling** **i** **n** **Love – McFly**

 

Louis rolled over onto his back. His head swimming with a million and one things. He thinks about last night, thinks about Harry and what was said. He feels something in his chest, he hates it. He loves him, that can't matter though he has to put his family first.  

 

If they girls want to move to be closer to their mum he has to at least think about it right? They are his number one priority. She hasn’t been there for almost 16 years of their life, if she now wants to be part of that it's not fair of him to say she can't. The girls deserve to know their mum better. The deserve to have a relationship with her. 

 

If it had just been Bailey he could have side-stepped it, but it wasn’t, it was Bonnie too. He had never realised just how much she had missed having her mum around, which was fucking stupid. Of course she missed having her around, she used to do that thing where she pretended she hated going over to see her but now Louis thinks about it he could always see how much she loved going.

 

There is a knock at his door, before he can even contemplate closing his eyes and ignoring it, it slowly opens. Bonnie comes in with his mug in her hands 

 

"Morning," She smiles as she sits on the end of his bed, passing the mug over to him "can we talk?" Talk. He doesn't know what to say, how can they talk? 

    
"Sure Bon, what's up?" He asks 

 

"Ok, can I tell you the bunch of reasons that I think it would be a good idea to move?" She says and he can't even bring himself to speak. He just smiles and nods, taking a sip of his tea 

 

"Ok, so we are leaving school in July. Timing wise, it's perfect right? Mum wants to get to know us, we are going to have a little brother, we get to start again, you can get a job teaching in college or uni which I know you want, you’ve been wanting to push yourself for years dad, we all know it!" She says with a smile 

 

The job. He hadn't even given it a thought. The perfect job, the interview that he aced. The place he could see himself working. Now that’s all gone too. If it wasn’t so bad he would laugh. 

    
"I know Bonnie, you don’t need to try and convince me love, I already told you I'm going to think about everything. See where we are and think about it ok, I know there are pros and cons and I have to think about friends and family and..." He pauses, Harry's name on the tip of his tongue "What if she changes her mind?" He asks 

 

"Mum? She won't, I know she won't" She tells him  

 

"Bon,"  

 

"No, dad you don’t get it! She's already said she regrets missing so much of our lives! She said that!" She says standing up 

 

"ok and maybe she does, but why can't she move back here? Why does she have to uproot you two?" He asks sitting up a bit more in his bed 

 

"She isn't! We want to go dad!!" He sighs "What's wrong with you? You're the one who has been telling me for years to give her a chance why all of a sudden do you not want me to?" She asks and he doesn’t have an answer, not one that doesn't make him sound like a twat anyway 

 

"nothing is wrong with me love I just don’t... Ok, how about, first off, we go to Ireland? Like to see your mum? Spend the weekend, have a look round, talk to her? See what the plan is?" He asks and she grins 

    
"You mean it?" She asks as his phone buzzes at the side of him.  

 

**From H: I'm sorry for the way it ended.**  

 

Is all he reads before turning it over.

 

"Yeah love, I'll sort out flights and we can go after school tomorrow ok?" He hasn’t even finished talking before she comes running over and throwing her arms around him  

 

"I love you, thank you!"  

 

"I love you too queen" He tells her 

 

**From H: I’m sorry for the way it I ended. I love you. I know that doesn't change your mind, I know I shouldn’t be putting it in a text but I can't stand in front of you and tell you I love you to then have to listen to you say goodbye. I get it, I do. If it was Liv I'd probably do the same. I just wish it was different.**  

 

He throws his phone on the bed. Fighting back the tears. He cannot be crying over him, he can't. He doesn’t get to when it's his fault they are here. He knew from the beginning he was moving too fast. He should have stopped when he realised Olivia and Bailey were seeing each other, that was his warning flag. He ignored it.  

 

He drags himself downstairs in time to hear the girls talking about Ireland. They are happy and their mum is basically coming back into their lives. Why isn't he happy? He should be happy. 

    
He thought that sacrificing his life for them when he was younger, would result in him getting his life back once they were in college and out doing things on their own. Yet it seems to be the opposite. 

 

Sacrifice?

 

He can't say sacrifice. They are the best thing that’s ever happened to him, he wouldn’t change a thing about it. 

    
Except maybe Harry.  

 

Yet he can't bring himself to wish he never met him. 

 

"You ok?" Bailey asks when he comes into the front room 

    
"Dad?" Bonnie asks 

 

He just shakes his head and smiles at them 

 

"I'm fine," He lies 

 

"Oh come on dad, how stupid do you think we are?" They say as his phone buzzes once more 

 

He glances at the screen  

 

**From H: Thank you, for it all.**  

 

"I'm just a little stressed, it's nothing," He lies, once more 

    
"Who's the text from? Dad, there is something you're not telling us, what is it?" Bailey asks 

 

"Ok," He sighs "I have sort of been seeing someone, it's over now so can we just drop it and get these flights booked?" He says 

 

"What?" They both say at the same time

 

"Since when?" Bonnie asks, moving closer 

    
"Not long, honestly It was nothing!" He says like he means it. At least that’s what he hopes it sounds like.

 

"Really? You look like that over nothing?" Bonnie asks waving her hand in front of his face 

 

"Who was it?" Bailey asks 

 

Bonnie snatches his phone from the table  

 

"Bonnie... Bonnie give it me back please," He says with a sigh 

 

"tell us who it was then!" She says, holding his phone out  

 

"Bonnie!!" He warns 

 

"Dad, you never keep stuff from us, remember when you made me tell you about Olivia? It was so hard yet I did it, I tell you everything, we are a team! The three musketeers! You have to tell us, we need to know who out new mortal enemy is!" She says with a small laugh 

 

She's right though, she told Louis, she came out to Louis. That’s how they have grown up, sharing everything. He should be honest with them the same way he would want them to be honest with him. 

 

"It's Harry," He says quietly as he takes his phone back 

 

"Harry who?... Nooooo!" Bonnie says with a gasp "As in Olivia's dad? I knew he was checking you out!" She says slapping Bailey’s arm who just stares at him

 

"I actually sort of met him before I knew who he was, Bailey I promise you it wasn’t something I was going to keep from you, from either of you! Then when you asked me if she could come for food with us, I was with Harry and we sort of realised that out of every single girl in the world, ours seemed to find each other!" He says  

 

"Well, what happened?" Bailey asks "Did he cheat on you?" She asks and he laughs 

 

"No, he didn’t do anything, I promise it’s just..." Louis stops 

 

"Ireland?" Bonnie says and Louis nods 

 

"yes and no," He admits 

 

"Then we don’t go! Simple as!" Bonnie says 

 

"No, love, as nice as that is! That’s not the way it works, you want to go, we will be thinking about it, I will be fine, Harry will be fine, we are grown men and it's fine! You two come first, always!" He tells her  

    
"Do what me and Olivia are doing? Long distance relationships aren't that bad!" Bailey says moving closer 

 

How can he tell her that that’s bullshit? He is in love with this guy. He knows that he is going to want to be with him all the time. Fuck, he is properly in love with him! How can he live in a completely different country from him, yet still talk to him in the same way without his heart being broken? 

 

"No, Harry and I are over, it's fine" he shrugs like it means nothing. 

 

The girls know he's lying. Of course they do. They don’t argue. 

 

 

 

**Youth - Daughter**    

 

Showers had always been Harry's favourite place to cry. Which is an incredibly depressing sentence. But it's true. It’s the only place you get utter peace, nobody bothers you and the water half convinces you that you're not actually crying. He had always been a crier, no shame in admitting that. 

    
He is a 36 year old man crying in the shower. 

 

He drags himself out, washing his face with cold water when he gets out, hoping to stop the red blotches from coming out.  

 

"I made us lunch when you're ready!" Liv shouts once she hears the shower shut off 

    
"Cheers monster, will be down soon," He tells her as he picks his phone up 

 

**From L: I love you, I promise you I do. They're my girls though, they deserve to get to know their mum. You have literally made me happier in the past few months than I have been since they were born. We'll be** **fine**   **Harry**   **, we both know that. It just sucks right now.**  

 

No. Harry thinks. It won't be fine. He will get by, he knows he will. It is clearly different for him than it was Louis though. Harry feels like he has had a hole punched in his chest. Louis is the only person he has ever been with who made him wish he had met them when he was 17. How things could have been different. He could see himself spending the rest of his life with Louis.  

 

Finding new things for them to try together, having Louis to act like teenagers with, to explore the globe with.. To love.  

 

"well you look like shit," Olivia says when he sits down in the kitchen  

    
"Well thank you my love, I can always count on you to make me feel better," He says, smiling at her  

 

"So, going to tell me what happened now?" She asks taking a bite of her sandwich  

    
"What are you on about?" He asks, though he knows she isn't stupid 

 

"The first time I went out with Bailey, we picked them up from her house, did you know that?" She asks 

 

"yeah?" He asks confused 

 

"I asked Louis what he had planned with his day..." She says looking at him "Have a guess what he said?" She says in a smug way that reminds him of Sarah 

 

"I don't know Liv, why don’t you enlighten me!" He says in the same smug way 

 

"He said he was going to try the new Italian... which is weird because if I remember right you and, apparently, Uncle Ni, was going to try out a new Italian that day! Remember? I heard you talking about a date and you and uncle Ni got all flustered and tried to convince me it wasn’t a date?" She says as he puts his sandwich down 

 

"You’ve known all this time and you didn’t say anything?" He asks her and she shrugs 

 

"I figured you'd tell me when you were ready, then when you didn’t I just guessed you didn’t want to" She says, her voice Is low, almost hurt 

 

"Liv," he sighs 

 

"I get it dad, I'm a kid, I have no business asking you about things you don't want to talk about... but sometimes you have to talk about the things you don’t want to talk about ya know?" She asks and honestly when did she grow up?    
 

When did she stop being the 5-year-old who would crawl in his lap and fall asleep rather than going up to bed because she felt safer there. When did she stop needing him to hold her hand to cross the road, or pick her up so she can reach things off the top shelf, when did she stop needing his advice? When did she become the one handing it out? 

 

"I didn’t know what it was, we had only just met each other when we realised that you knew Bailey and … we didn’t handle it well I guess?" He asks, more than says, "And now, well now he's going, he's packing up his life for a woman who left 16 years ago" He shrugs 

 

"You know it's not like that though, it's not like he's leaving for her," And he does, he really does. Only his heart doesn’t "He's leaving for Bailey and Bonnie, they want a chance at the life they didn't get and to be honest, you'd do the same in a heartbeat!" 

 

"I know! Trust me, I know! And I wish I didn’t love him it wo-" 

 

"wait, you love him???" She asks, eyes wide 

 

"oh, no.. I meant like," He pauses as she rolls her eyes "yeah, I do, like properly" he laughs  

 

"Dad," She sighs in a way that he knows means she is pitying him "I'm sorry – pssh it's him missing out anyway, you're such a catch," She laughs "what does he have? Like crystal blue eyes and a great personality? Suuuurrreee but who doesn’t?" She kicks him softly under the table. 

 

He knows she is trying to make him laugh. It's just not working. 

 

"I'm fine honestly, it's just a bit crap but it will be fine," He says, but his heart rather dramatically screams back  _It will never be fine_. 

 

Is he allowed to feel like this? To wallow in self-pity? He's only really known Louis 6months. That’s nothing, not in the grand scheme of things. He feels entitled though, he feels like he is allowed to justify his love by mourning it a little. It's allowed.  

 

It's safe to say though, he has learnt his lesson, he will not be re-joining any dating websites any time soon!  

 

"Dad..." Olivia says softly "Can I ask you something? And if you're not ok with it I totally get it and I promise it's fine," She says, it's like she's back tracking before she has even asked the questions 

 

"If you are about to ask me if we can get a dog again, the answer is still no!" He says and she shakes his head 

    
"Bailey has asked me to go somewhere with her this weekend and I sort of would like to." She tells him  

 

"Where is it you want to go?"  

 

"To see her mum" Harry laughs  

    
"Yeah because Louis would really let her go and see her mum on her own" He tells her  

 

"no, he'll be there, they are going for the weekend just to like check things out," She says  

    
"Oh, that’s quick," He honestly didn’t think it would happen this quick, he thought it would be something that dragged out for ages "I'm fine with you going if he's ok with it? But he has to be properly ok with it!" He warns her  

 

"Absolutely!! Thanks!!" She tells him before throwing her arms around him "I best go and pack," She says before hurrying off 

 

"Great," he mumbles to himself "now everything I love will be in Ireland and I'll be here... like some sort of lonely spinster" he sighs, clearing the table and pulling his phone out  

 

He deletes the chat history from them and changes Louis name back in his phone, although he isn't sure what's worse, and sends a new message

 

**To Louis: Olivia said Bailey asked her to go with you? Are you sure that’s ok? If it's a problem let me know and I will make up some excuse for why she has to stay.**  

 

**From Louis: Of course it's ok, if it's ok with** **you**   **?**   **It would be nice to have her there for Bailey's sake I guess.**  

 

**To Louis: Yes, I guess, ok, well thanks. She is looking forward to it. I will keep your number in case I need to get a hold of you, but when you're back I will delete it and you won't have to hear from me again.**  

 

He sighs. He got up on the dramatic side of his bed today. Before he has chance to slide his phone in his back pocket it lights up in his hand. Louis name flashes across the front. He should ignore it, he really, really should. 

 

"hi," He says because he can't help himself "you ok?" 

 

"you don’t have to delete my number," Louis says.  

 

God his voice.  

 

Harry could write a million love songs about his voice alone. 

 

"If I keep it I'm just going to want to keep using it, keep texting you or ringing you and... well that’s shit." He laughs 

 

He hears Louis sigh. 

    
"why don’t you come with us?" Louis asks 

 

"what? To Ireland? So I can watch you speak to your ex about the new life you're going to start together? No thanks!" He says, way more arsey than it needs to be 

 

"It’s not like that, don’t be a twat!" Louis says 

 

"I'm not... I just, I can't Louis. I love you, I'm in love with you. Asking me to be anything but that isn't fair!" he says. 

 

And hangs up. 

 

He's crying again, of course he is.  

 

**From Louis: I wasn’t asking you to not be in love with me**   **Harry**   **.**  

 

**From Louis: You have no idea how it feels to have you be in love with me.**  

 

**From Louis: just think about Ireland. If nothing else, we get a proper goodbye.**  

 

If this was a movie. Harry would say no, tell him he wasn’t going to Ireland with him, but on the day, he would turn up at the airport and run into his open arms, declaring their undying love for each other, then they would all move to Ireland, probably get married and live happily ever after. 

 

But this isn't a movie. 

    
So, the following evening, Harry drops Olivia at Louis' after already saying their goodbyes at home so that he didn’t have to hang around and he heads home. 

 

Olivia spends every other weekend at her mums, he is used to having the house to himself. But this time when he walks in it feels empty in a way it never has before. He can practically hear his own thoughts bouncing off the white walls. 

 

He presses play on his speakers that are connected to his phone and groans as Arctic Monkeys comes on. 

 

Everything, how does  _everything_ remind him of Louis? 

 

It's going to be a long weekend  

 

**_To Ni ; ED : Please tell me one of you are free tonight and are up for getting pissed with me?_**  

 

**From Ni: I'm in work until half 11... come here for a few and then we will go out??? Promise to make you forget all about lover boy xx**  

 

**From ED: Always. Let me know when and where fella.**

 

And so it was settled. He wouldn’t spend his evening wallowing. He was going to wear his tightest Jeans and the sluttiest shirt he owned and he was going to dance the night away. 

 

It was half 1 when Niall pointed out he wasn’t doing much dancing and he was doing way too much pouting.  

    
Olivia had text him as soon as she had landed, like she had promised to. She sent him a picture, it was just a picture of something or nothing but he could see Louis shoulder. He shouldn’t have even been able to tell that it was Louis shoulder from that distance, but that was how bad shit had got and he had been staring at his phone ever since. 

 

"Come on mate, put that down," Niall said as Ed handed them another shot  

    
"Right," Ed said, "You drink that and then we are going to a karaoke bar! I'm going to cheer you up if it's the last thing I do!" 

 

"And," Niall says nudging Harry's shoulder "You are not allowed to sing 'All by myself' or anything as equally depressing!"  

 

"Or Drunk in Love!" Ed adds and he can't help but roll his eyes. He will sing what the fuck he wants! 

 

4 shots later and he is feeling a little better, the music flows softer into his head as his brain eases out memories of Louis. Only it doesn’t. It just makes the memories he has of him hurt a little more. He feels like he is stuck in a teen drama... only he isn't a teen and this isn't nearly as exciting as Vampire Diaries. 

 

He hasn’t gotten up to sing, he had picked out Still The One, Songbird and Lovesong and Niall had told him that he wasn’t allowed to do any of them. So, he thought about sulking for a while, but someone handed him a shot and he forgot about Niall 

 

"oh thanks!"  He says to the guy who hands him the glass "What's this?" He asks bringing the glass up to his nose "Oh god no, sorry mate, I can't do Sambuca!" He says as he hands the glass back with a smile 

 

"what's wrong with Sambuca?" the lad asks – the thing is, he's good looking. Like really good looking, he is ever so slightly taller than Harry, hair a little lighter and eyes a soft brown that in a certain light turns into a burning amber. 

 

He has a smile that would rival that of a Hollywood star. He smells good too. It's something fruity that throws Harry off. He can do this. He can flirt with a cute guy. 

 

"It just... like I can't swallow it! It's probably the worst thing I've ever had in my mouth!" He says  

 

"Probably?" The guy asks with a laugh  

 

"Yeah, made some questionable choices in my teens" Harry tells him, flashing him the dimples. Always a winner.  

 

"Then maybe I can get you something else? The names Tom by the way," He holds his hand out in front of Harry  

 

"Nice to meet you, Tom by the way," he laughs at himself. Hey, if you don’t laugh at your own jokes, who will? "I'm Harry! That accent... I can't place it, where are you from?" 

 

"Doncaster originally, moved to Leeds a few years back though and now I'm in Liverpool so I'm just a mess of northern accents, what about you?" He laughs but Harry isn't listening 

 

Doncaster. He knew he heard it.  

 

He looks back at Tom, suddenly unsure as to what he even found attractive about him. He just looked like every other guy in the place. He was nothing special. He wasn't Louis. 

 

"I'm sorry, I think my mate is... I'm sorry I have to go" He says with a sigh  

 

He walks away ignoring the voice he can hear shouting him. He is unsure if it's Tom or if it's his own conscience.  He had a perfectly fine guy coming on to him and he couldn't get passed a fucking accent. 

    
"I'm going to go!" He tells Niall 

 

"No you're not mate you- - " He looks at Harry and his face changes a little, it softens as he nods, god he must look really pathetic if Niall is taking pity on him "Sure pal, want me to come with you?" Harry just shakes his head.  

 

This is a pity party for one. He doesn’t need to ruin everyone else's night! 

 

"Ok, well drop me a text when you get home yeah? Get some sleep and I'll be round tomorrow with McDonalds! Good lad!" He says as he pulls him into his chest for a quick hug. 

 

Niall is a great hugger. He is the one Harry goes to when he is feeling shit, Niall would happily just curl up and hug him for a while, telling him shit stories and assuring him it will be ok. When Olivia first came to Live with him Niall spent most nights at theirs, just helping out with washing and iron, just little things that Harry was trying to get accustomed to doing more of. He's like a fucking Labrador at times and Harry has never loved another human in the way he loves Niall Horan! 

 

The second the cold air hits him when he steps outside he feels like he is sobering up and he can't decide if it's as good thing or a bad thing. He pulls his phone out as he climbs into a black cab and gives the driver his address. He deleted all of the pictures of Louis, all their texts and conversations. Everything has gone.  

He just stares at his name in his phone as the cab takes him home, he wonders what he is doing right now. He just wants to know that he is ok, maybe he wants to know if he misses him just as much. The answer is probably no, if he did he wouldn’t have left. 

 

He downloads tinder as he climbs into bed. Ignoring any new matches and going to his messages.  

 

He clicks on Louis name, and flicks through his pictures. God, he misses him. He lays back on his pillow with his phone in his hand, he could just send him one message. Tell him that he hopes it's doing ok.  

 

Then again, it's almost 3am and he knows how much he hates being woken up.  

 

He clutches the phone against his chest as he cry's. He hates himself right now. Louis is just a guy, just some guy he hasn’t even know that long. It shouldn’t be this hard. 

 

But Louis isn't just some guy. He was  _the_  guy.  _His_  guy.

 

 

**Stay – Lisa Loeb**    

The only problem with Olivia coming along is that she was so much like Harry. The music she liked, the books she read, the things she was interested in.  

 

The girls all happily chatted as they climbed into a taxi, it wasn’t late but Louis was fucked and the last thing he needed was 3 loud girls all talking excitedly over each other. He rested his head against the window and closed his eyes until they got to the hotel. 

 

He had booked 2 family rooms. Which meant 4 rooms between the 3 of them, but he somehow didn’t trust that Olivia and Bailey would stay in separate rooms. He's been a teenager before. He gets it. 

 

"Right, don’t go taking offence to this but you two aren't sharing a room" He laughs as they get their keys  

    
"What? Why?" Bailey asks and Louis rolls his eyes 

 

"Because I said so I'm afraid! Bonnie and Olivia can take the two rooms in 201 and me and you" He points to Bailey "will take the two rooms in 202... Everyone happy with that?" He asks, to her credit, Olivia doesn't look likes she minds. Bailey however looks like she is about to scream. 

 

Bonnie just laughs. 

 

They go for dinner at the nearest restaurant they find. The girls all still talking loudly. He suddenly wishes they hadn't invited Olivia. He has handled twins perfectly all their Lives, he has a massive family, who would have thought he would have struggled with one more girl! He goes over the plan for tomorrow, they are going to go and see Claire in the morning, then have a walk round, take in the sights. 

 

He doesn’t sleep. He can't sleep. He thinks about texting Harry, just to see how he is. He gets it now, gets why he wants to delete his number. Take away the temptation. He goes into his pictures, looking at all the selfies that they took together. All the laughing and the kisses. The texts that were soppy and sweet or the ones that where dirty as fuck. They all have to go. He doesn't get to keep them if he leaves. 

    
If he leaves? 

 

_When_ he leaves.  

 

At some point just after 3am he drifts off to sleep. His head banging and feeling fuzzy and his chest feeling hollow. When his alarm wakes him a few hours later he feels like he hasn’t slept at all. The bags under his eyes heavy, his hair uncontrollable and his face just giving off the ‘don’t even talk to me’ look. He sighs as he slides on a beanie before he even gets dressed. 

 

Today is going to be shit. He knows it is. He isn’t a fan of Claire at the best of times, especially now when she’s making him plan to uproot his family. 

 

The thing is, he knows he can just put his foot down. Say no. They’re 16 and he has legal guardianship and custody. They would have to stay with him until they were 18, which by that point they would hate him and leave as soon as they could. He didn’t want to lose his girls, they were the only thing in his life that he cared about losing. Anything else he could Live without. Right? 

 

**Father + Son – Rod Stewart**

 

“You lot ready then?” Louis asks when he finally meets them downstairs  

 

“Yep! Let’s go!” Bonnie says jumping up  

 

Bonnie and Olivia walk in front to ring a taxi. 

 

“Dad,” Bailey says stopping him from walking past “thank you, I know you’re having a crap time at the minute and the last thing you want is to be coming to see mum with us. So thank you,” She says, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest  

 

He wants to cry. He’s not sure if it’s just his emotions or the lack of sleep but tears threaten to spill over onto his cheeks at any given moment 

 

“You’re ok queen, honest, I’m just glad you’re both happy! Now let’s go before those two leave without us,” he lays giving her one last squeeze 

 

They are quiet on the ride to their mums. It's weird he’s been here a million times before but this time it looks different. Very soon, Crumlin could be his new home.  

 

He doesn’t want it. 

 

Not even a little bit. 

 

“Ahhhh girls look at you” Claire screams as she opens the door and Louis can’t help but roll his eyes at how happy they get. Olivia gives him a look and he can’t help but chuckle. Ok so he’s glad she’s there!  

 

“And who do we have here?” She asks Bonnie who looks at Bailey  

 

“I’m Olivia, call me Liv, everyone does!” She says with a small smile  

 

“Bailey you didn’t tell me how pretty she was,” she says… to Bonnie  

 

Louis coughs once “shall we… it’s cold, Bonnie how about you go and stick the kettle on” 

 

“Oh shit, you just look so alike,” she laughs when she realises what she’s done  

 

“Yeah that tends to happen with twins,” he says  

 

“Oh Louis, how I’ve missed you,” She says, stone faced “Come on in, Bonnie love the kitchen is just through there” 

 

Louis can’t help but roll his eyes as he walks around, it’s all so fake. It’s a house, not a home. Everything has a place and everything is in its place. Good luck when the baby comes, he thinks. It looks like a show room, everything glossy and everything fancy! He runs his finger over the sideboard to check for dust  

 

“Ooh look at me, look at me I dust all the time!” Louis whispers to Olivia in a mocking voice, she laughs and nudges him in the arm as Bailey glares at him, he just holds his hands up in defence. 

 

To be fair, it isn’t as bad as Louis expected. She talks to them about school and friends, about how they think they’ve done in their exams. Louis knows they have smashed it! They worked their arses off!  

 

“You get that from me, your dad was always awful with exam – didn’t you end up taking the final teaching exam twice?” she asks 

 

Louis just bites his tongue. He doesn’t want to point out that the reason he failed his final module was because he had just been left alone with twins to bring up. He just fakes a laugh. 

 

“Speaking of, what’s the plan then? Do you know any decent colleges? Or will we be best just looking around?” Louis asks  

 

“Yeah we both want to do different things but would like to go to the same place!” Bailey says  

 

“What do you mean? Do you not have your college places sorted yet?” She asks  

 

“They have holding places in Salford, they will hold them for another month so that give us a bit of time,” he tells her and she looks confused  

 

“For what?” She blinks  

 

“To find something here?” Louis says slowly  

 

She laughs. Like full on laughs. 

 

“Why would you want to do that?” She asks  

 

“Because we will be here?” Bonnie says 

 

“You will? Since when?” Claire asks and Louis sits up in his seat  

 

“Since you asked them to move here! Since they asked me if it was something we could consider and since I said yes!” He spits  

 

“When did I.. oh, no! You have the wrong idea,” she says, laughing once more  

 

“What do you mean?” Louis asks 

 

“I meant like when the baby comes they can come and stay for a week or so, help out and what not,” he notices Olivia move a little closer to Bailey, who moves a little closer to Bonnie  

 

Louis breathes out running his hand over his face “ok hold on,”  

 

“You said we could… you said it would be easier if we were here! You said there was a lot to make up for!” Bonnie says interrupting whatever Louis was about to say 

 

“I did… I meant like, it would be easier for you to see the baby if you were here and well I just sort of meant in general,” her voice is barely a whisper, she’s still smiling though  

 

“So, you don’t want us here?” Bailey asks  

 

“If you want to be here then of course I don’t have a problem with you being here,” she smiles  

 

“You don’t have a problem with it? How nice,” Bailey says. Bonnie hasn’t moved. 

 

“I think we should go, please.” Bailey says turning to Louis  

 

Bonnie just stands up, Olivia wraps her arm around her. It’s weird, she may be with Bailey but her and Bonnie are also close. She just has a warming friendly nature about her. She’s Harry. 

 

“Just… how could you? I thought…  _we_ thought…” she looks at Claire who stands up looking confused  

 

“What?” She asks  

 

“You know Bonnie has spent so long pretending to hate you because she was scared of loving you! She was scared that if she let herself love you, you would hurt her! I’ve spent years trying to convince her she was wrong to feel like that, to give you a chance,” she breathes out and Louis stands behind her  

 

“And she did! She thought this was it, she thought you wanted her, wanted us! But you didn’t, not really. You are happy in your own little world and I guess I should have known that all along,"  

 

"Bailey, love," Louis says with his hand on her shoulder 

 

"No dad, no! She doesn’t get to do this, she doesn’t get to somehow make us feel like shit for thinking she wanted us in her life! She doesn’t!" She practically screamed turning into Louis arms 

 

"It's ok queen," he whispers "Hey, look at me" He tells her "you are worth so much more than getting upset over this ok, I promise you," His voice was quiet but he knew Claire could hear it all  

 

"Louis listen..." He holds his hand up  

 

"why don’t you go and get a taxi with Bon and Liv, I'll be out in a minute ok," He says, she doesn’t move at first, clinging a little tighter to him before she nods  

 

When she has gone, the door shut behind hers, he turns to Clarie. He wants to scream at her, call her anything and everything he could think of, but he can't. 

    
"I just... I don’t get you, I really don’t! You had a chance here, they weren’t asking for anything Claire, not a damn thing, I was moving my  _whole_ lifehere! You didn’t have to do a thing apart from be around and you couldn’t even do that, you have missed out on so much they are amazing, talented, caring, sweet, a fucking pain in the arse at times, but they are the best! You have missed out on that, you had the chance, they would have been the best big sisters and you..." He breathes out as she sits back down on the sofa 

 

"You just don’t get it, you never did. You think I was ready to be a dad at 20? You think I had any of this planned? I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, but I worked it out because they needed me, fuck they still do! I look at them and see them as grown-ups, but they aren't. They're still my babies and I just... I'm going to have to ask you to not contact them for a while" He says  

 

"what? No, you can't do that!!" She says standing up 

 

"Lou, taxi is here," Olivia says peaking her head in, he nods  

    
"You had your chance, when they are ready I'm sure they will be in touch with you, until then, just don’t ok. You were so close to seeing how great life is with them" he turns and leaves before she can say anything else. 

 

The ride back to the hotel is weird. Olivia is trying her hardest to crack jokes and keep the conversation going and the girls, to their credit try too. The air feels wrong though. He should have known that this was a bad idea, putting everything on the line for a woman that never really deserved it.  

 

He needs to talk to the twins, properly, they know that he is around and that he isn't going anywhere but somehow he thinks he needs to tell them. Olivia must read his mind, the second they get back she says she is going to grab a drink and call her dad leaving them to it.  

 

"Ok, so this isn't how this weekend was supposed to go," Louis says with a small laugh as he brings them both in for a hug "I know this might be too soon, but if you still want to have a look round at colleges and stuff? Just in case? We can," He tells them, even though it’s the last thing he wants 

    
"No," Bonnie says first "I gave her a chance dad, Bailey, I did... but I don’t want to do this anymore, wait around for her to tell us she is ready to be part of our Lives," She says 

 

"I agree, you were ready to move your life for us, you would have done that for  _us_  and she didn’t even want to make a little space to have us around," Bailey says with a shrug 

 

"I'm sorry, I don’t get it, I don’t. You know I'm always here, though right? And even though it might not mean much, I promise I have always tried to love you enough for both of us, I just don’t want to feel like you missed out on anything!" Louis says 

 

"Are you joking?" Bailey says  

 

"Dad, we couldn’t have asked for any more from you! We know how hard you work for us, we aren't stupid, we know how often you ended up working two jobs when we were younger, we know how little you saw your mates or whatever, you gave up the majority of your life for us!" Bonnie says "There isn't anything else we need, apart from you,"  

    
"Apart from Mr Snuggles, Gran and Uncle Zayn" Bailey says with a laugh 

    
"So you're ok?" He asks them 

    
"No," Bonnie laughs "but we will be" She tells him and he believes them.  

 

They're Tomlinson's. Tomlinson's are strong enough to handle anything. 

 

**It's All Over Now, Baby Blue – Bob Dylan**    

 

There was a part of Harry's brain, the part that had convinced him to go out last night, that isn't really sure, what's happening. He groans as he rolls onto his side, he is somewhere between sleep and being awake, it's like he is aware that he is awake but he is also dreaming. He fights himself to try and wake up, he knows it's ridiculous, he points it out to the dream version of himself. He just can't open his eyes.  

 

Louis is there. Because why wouldn't he be? Nothing is happening, he is just looking at Harry. It feels weird, it's like it's a dream, but it's not. Like they are both in a waiting room just waiting to wake up. He opens his mouth to talk but nothing comes out. He isn't sure what he would say if it did. Then he starts walking closer to him. He feels his heart rate speed up as he steps closer, he opens his mouth to say something... 

 

"fuck sake!" Harry groans into his pillow as his eyes shoot open just before Louis has chance to speak.  

 

He slides his feet out of the bed as he grabs the bottle of water from next to his bed. Drunk Harry was prepared at least. His head pounds as he stands up, he is never drinking again. Ever. He can hear his phone going off from somewhere, he just doesn't know where. He walks round the house looking for it, who the fuck loses their phone on a night out, once they are  _home!_  Harry does. 

    
"there you are!!" He says as he finds it sticking out from under the couch "How the fuck did you get there?" He mumbles to the screen as Niall's name flashes across the front "Alright?" He asks  

 

"Where have you been I've been ringing you for the past 10minutes?!"  

 

"Good morning to you too my lover, how can I help you?" Harry asks tone unchanged 

 

"I'm on my way round, stick the kettle on, I promised you a MacDonald's breakfast and I'm nothing if not a man of my word! I'll be there in 5 pal,"  

 

"Ok, I'll leave the door unlocked just come in" He probably should have said thanks too, but he doesn't, he just hangs up. 

 

He knows that Niall is going to want to talk. He doesn't even know how to start that conversation, he had briefly told him that it ended because he was going to Ireland, he didn’t really go into any more details. He didn’t know how to.    
   
So when Niall drops the bag of food on the table the second he arrives, he doesn’t go straight for the brew Harry had made for him in his favourite mug, he just pulls Harry in for a hug. He doesn’t mean to, but he bursts into tears. He's half-naked in his kitchen, hungover and sobbing into his best friend's arms. He's officially reached rock bottom. 

 

"come on, tell me everything while I eat!" He says when he pulls away  

 

That’s exactly what he does. He tells him about how he felt about Louis, that he knows it was stupid to get too attached too quickly, he tells him that Louis didn’t think it was worth trying and somehow that is the worst part of it all, feeling that he isn't worth it. He knows, deep down, he couldn’t have done a long-distance relationship, he's too clingy, it would have just been nice to have been considered.  

 

He feels the pain in his chest as he talks. What the fuck has Louis done to him? He's never felt like this. Ever. 

    
"First and foremost, it's not stupid to get attached. I have known you a long time Harry, I have never seen you like this, it's obvious you love him! Don't ever feel bad for loving someone, ever!" Niall had his heartbroken a fair few times, he's too nice for his own good, people take advantage of that 

 

"Secondly, maybe you should try talking to him? I mean, it was sort of sprung on him too, he might not have meant it to come out that way! And lastly, mate I'm sorry, I know you haven't properly been with someone for a while, but please don’t let this put you off! I love you and Liv's but I don’t want to watch you spend every weekend playing scrabble until she leaves and then crying yourself to sleep!"  

 

Harry wants to argue with him, tell him he is more than just scrabble with his daughter and crying himself to sleep. But facts don’t lie.     
   
Could he do that? Could he talk to him? Should he talk to him? He doesn't know. He doesn't know anything anymore, not when it comes to Louis. He feels his phone vibrates against his leg, for a moment he thinks it's Louis, god, imagine it was Louis. 

    
"Hey Liv, how's it going love?" He says as he slides open his phone 

 

_"well I'm good,"_ She tells him  _"everyone else, not so much!"_  

 

"Why what's happened?"  

 

_"it's a long story, I'll explain when I'm home... it's just not gone exactly as planned"_  He wants to tell her he doesn't care how long the story is, he wants to know, is Louis ok? Are the girls ok? Is he allowed to care? 

 

"Ok love, what time are you home?" He already knows the answer, he just doesn’t want her to hang up just yet 

    
"Flight is half 8 so probably like 10? Lou is going to drop me home if you want to come and say hi?"  

 

"No monster, it's ok, I'll see you when you're home! Text me when you land I will order us some food," He can't imagine how much it would hurt seeing Louis, seeing him and not being able to have him.  

    
He needs to stop thinking about him. Lock him out. Ignore his gut feeling and the pain in his chest. He is a grown man. He can get over him. He doesn’t want to, but he can.  

 

He will. 

 

**If It's Hurting You – Robbie Williams**    

 

The feeling that washed over him as the plane landed was confusing. On one hand, he wasn’t moving to Ireland. Which is exactly what he wanted, he never wanted to move his life. On the other hand, the girls aren't happy! He looks over at Bailey, she's just looking out of the window, she looks gutted. This is something he never wanted.  

 

Neither of the girls have said much, but any time he talks to them they put on this fake smile. He knows it's fake. It's the same as his fake smile. He can't wait for this weekend to be over. They climb into the car in silence, first stop is dropping Olivia off. He could easily nip in, tell Harry what happened and ask him if they could start again. It could be that simple.  

 

Only it can't. He ruined it. He told Harry he didn’t think they should be together before he had even properly decided on Ireland. He knows deep down he panicked. He knew he loved Harry and it scared him. He hasn't loved someone the way he loves Harry since he was 26. That’s a long time. Even now he isn't really sure he has loved anyone like he loves Harry.  

 

As they pull up to the house he expects him to be waiting for her on the step, he isn't, he catches a glimpse of him in the window but it's literally seconds and he's gone. He did that. If he hadn't have pushed him away, if he hadn't of hurt him he would be there to greet her. To greet them both. 

 

He should tell him how much it hurts him, how he made a mistake, how he  _knows_  they can sort it out. They would be so good together. He notices Bonnie looking over at him as they sit in the car a second too long without moving. He clears his throat as he starts the car back up 

 

"you ok?" She asks him, he nods. Not trusting himself to talk.  

 

"You know you could just ring him, right? Or text him... just talk to him" Bailey says 

 

"Honestly," He says with a sigh "it's fine. I'm fine, it's all fine, me and Harry wasn’t even serious! It's fine!" He mumbles 

 

"Yeah you're right, someone who mumbles the word 'fine' manically and repeatedly is definitely fine," Bonnie tells him with a roll of the eyes. She looks so much like him when she's being sarcastic.  

 

"ok, listen," He says as they pull up "the pair of you! I am fine," He points at Bonnie to warn her not to say anything before he carries on "I feel a bit crappy but I'm tired from flying and the shit storm that was today - I am fine, we will be fine! You two are all I need ok? So as long as you're happy, I am happy!" 

 

"And if we're not happy?" Bailey asks 

 

"Then we can all be a little bit miserable until one day we wake up and realise we can be happy on our own... or here rather than Ireland, ok?" 

 

The both nod at him. He sighs once more before the climb out of the car. It's going to be a hard few weeks. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it. The end. I hope anyone reading this has enjoyed it. Thank you for any comment or Kudos! I’ve really enjoyed putting it up so thank you for all making my first fic upload so enjoyable! 
> 
> Hopefully I will be back soon.
> 
> Once again, thank you!
> 
> Here it is, Chapter 7!

M 

**You Do Something** **To** **Me – Paul Weller**   

  

They have been home for 3 days. 3 whole days. Olivia told him everything that had happened when they got back. Harry couldn’t understand how anyone who had given birth to someone could be like that. He was suddenly thankful Olivia's mum was the way she was.  

  

"So, you know that means he isn't moving right?" Olivia had said when she told him everything.  

  

Of course Harry knew that, he didn’t know what that meant for them though. He would wait for Louis to get in touch with him. He would leave the ball in his court. Part of him really expected Louis to message him, even just to ask if he wanted to talk. The longer the time past the more Harry realised that it probably wasn't going to happen. He just had to accept that.  

    
The thing with Harry though, was when he wanted something and he  _really_ wanted something, he found it hard to just give up. In theory, they should be able to go back to how they were, Louis isn't leaving and everything should be great.    

 

What if Louis was waiting for him though? Waiting for him to take the first step, to message him. He told Louis that he would delete his number when he got home though... he didn’t, he said he would but couldn’t bring himself to actually do it.  

  

The 3rd day without contact was the day he decided he wanted to do something about it. Every part of him was telling him not to, to wait for Louis to come to him, but Louis was stubborn and he knew that if he hadn't have done it by now then he wasn’t going to. So, there was only thing he could do!  

    
"Liv, I need a favour," He said and she was already ginning at him "Don’t even go there ok, are you going to help or not?" He asks her  

  

"of course, can I tell you my plan first?" She asks and he rolls his eyes, of course she has a plan  

  

"fine," he says with a sigh as he throws himself back on the couch he knows this is going to take a while. 

  

She tells Harry how she is seeing Bailey later, she was going to ask her to come around, Bailey would message Louis to ask him to come and pick her up but obviously they won't be there, they will have already gone back to Bailey's. She tells him that Bailey will ignore his calls so he has to come and knock on for her and when he does the Harry should invite him in, he will have spent the day cooking. 

  

"There will be candles all over the place, it will be so romantic!" Olivia says with her hand across her chest, his life really is a teen drama. 

  

"it sounds more like a fire safety issue than romantic Liv," He tells her, but they both know that isn't him saying he hates the idea.  

  

Two hours later Bailey and Olivia are stood in the kitchen waiting to ring Louis, phone already in their hands. Harry is sure he has never seen two people as happy as these two right now.  

 

“You sure I look ok?” He asks Olivia, she had spent forever with him in front of his wardrobe, he feels like he is over dressed, she promises he isn't. He will just have to take her word for it. 

“honestly dad, you look great and Louis will love it!” She straightens his shirt once more, he wonders now who it is that is worrying more about it, him or her. 

  

"Bailey are you sure your dad will be ok with this? He hasn’t messaged me, I think that’s a pretty clear sign," Harry says with a sigh 

    
"Oh trust me, he has been sat at home cradling his phone, jumping every time it rang! He will so be ok with this" She says grinning, he can't help the small part of him that is glad Louis is clutching his phone and thinking of him, like he is in the same place as Harry.  

    
"God ok, but if this goes wrong and I'm alone forever I'm holding you two responsible ok?" He tells them as Bailey dials her dad. 

 

He breathes out. 

  

"Dad, it's me, can you pick me up?"…  

  

**Do You Remember The First Time -** **Pulp**     

  

Louis had just gotten changed, he had been so uncomfortable all day and the second he got through the door he couldn’t wait to put something incredibly soft on. Something that would be miles too big for him but that he could cuddle into himself in while he felt sorry for himself, so not much different to every other night then. 

  

He poured a glass of red and got settled on the couch, it was Luther time! He was 4 minutes in when his phone rang. His stomach did a little flip before he pulled it out. It wasn't him, it was Bailey.   

  

It was never him. He doesn’t know why he thinks it would be anymore.  

  

"Hey love, you ok?" He asks   

  

"Dad, it's me, can you pick me up?" She asks   

  

"Luckily for you I've only had a sip of this wine, where are you?"   

  

"Liv's, Harry was going to bring me home but he's got a date or something and I don’t really want to walk," Louis heart sinks a little.  

    
Harry has a date. Instead of messaging him when he got home he ignored it and now Harry has a date while Louis sits and drinks wine alone.   

  

With his cat, alone, it’s the same thing.  

  

"No, you're not walking, give me 10 minutes and I'll be there" he tells her.  

  

He sticks on his trainers and pulls a beanie over the mess of his hair, it doesn’t feel too unlike the first time he went to Harry’s. Only this time it's very different. So much has happened since then and the more he thinks about it the more the pain in his chest expands. He bites his lip as he pushes the thoughts out.  

  

The drive to Harry's feels like it takes forever, the sun goes down as he takes the back streets, suddenly he has no patience to be sat in traffic, he just wants to get there and home again. 

    
He sighs as he pulls up outside Harry's beeping his horn once.   

    
Nothing.  

 

Twice. Still nothing.  

  

 **To Bailey: I'm outside x**   

  

Nothing.  

  

He tries ringing, once, twice, three times... Nothing.  

  

He slams his car door as he climbs out mumbling under his breath as he knocks on the door, he really doesn’t need to be doing this today. He just wants to be home! 

  

"I've been ringing you wher- oh.. Oh, I didn’t think you was in," Louis tells Harry as he opens the door  

  

Fuck he looks good. This is the last thing he needed while he looks like this. Harry is all fancy and ready for a date, Louis is ready for bed. He tries not to let his eyes travel down Harry's body, but he can't help it. He has on black skinny jeans that somehow make his legs look longer than they are. He is wearing a shirt that is unbuttoned to his butterfly tattoo and Louis is pretty sure he can see his nipples through the material and he is sure if he stares hard enough there will still be a faint outline of a bruise that Louis sucked into his hip this time last week.  

  

"Is Bailey ready?" He asks   

  

"Not exactly..." Harry pauses "come in?" He asks  

  

"No, it's ok, I'll wait in the car just ask her to come out when she's ready," Louis shrugs turning away   

    
"She isn't here," Harry says   

    
"She is she rang me," Louis says  

    
"Will you just come in please?" Harry asks with a sigh  

  

"Not until you tell me what's going on, is she ok? Did something happen?" Louis asks, mind now racing with a million things  

  

"Bailey is fine, she is probably already home will you please just come in you are letting all the heating out!" Harry snaps   

  

"Fine," Louis says pushing past him   

  

He's been cooking. Louis can smell it. He can also see the light glow of candles coming from the dining room. He's interrupted his date. Wonderful.  

  

"I didn’t know you had company, if you just tell me what's going on I will leave,”  Louis tells him, trying his hardest not to turn back around and look at him   

  

"I don’t, well... I do, but, it's fine," Harry says "Will you please look at me"  he sighs and turns to face him 

  

"what's up Harry? Honestly can you just tell me so I can leave I really don’t want to be here with you and whoever you're on your date with," He says and Harry laughs "I'm glad this is funny to you!" Louis spits  

  

"I'm not on a date, that was your daughter's idea," He shrugs as he walks passed Louis "Come on through" he shouts from the dining room  

    
At this point Louis is confused enough to follow him but not stupid enough to watch the way his hips sway as he walks... ok that's a lie. Nobody needs to know that though.  

  

"Sit?" Harry asks pulling a chair out  

  

"No thank you,” Louis says and Harry laughs once more  

    
"You are so fucking stubborn, Louis," Harry says moving closer to him, pulling his hood down like he had done once before "Stay, sit, eat and talk? With me? Please?" Harry says softly  

  

Louis lets his eyes travel round the room. The table is made up, two plates of food put out, two glasses of wine, candles and flowers in the centre. He can hear the soft lull of music coming from somewhere too. There is nobody else here but himself and Harry.  

  

"Is this for..." He looks round once more "Is this for me?" He asks  

  

"It won't be if you don’t take that hat off and sit down," Harry says, sitting himself down  

  

Louis pulls the beanie off his head, trying is hardest to smooth the mess of hair down as he sits in the chair. 

  

"If I had of invited you, you wouldn’t have come, Liv and Bailey apparently had this plan ready to go and I just had to agree to it," He smiles and Louis heart is beating faster than he thinks it ever has "I have wanted to message you a million times this week, but I didn’t even know what to say so I thought I would wait for you to message me," he laughs as he picks up his wine glass "but like I said before you're stubborn!"   

  

"so, you thought you'd trick me into dinner?" Louis asks and Harry's face drops  

    
"what? No, no that’s not... I didn’t want to trick you and I guess, fuck Louis if you want to go, please just tell me – it's just Bailey said that, and then, and fuck Louis I just assumed," He looks so cute as he trips over his own words, it's like he is trying to get the next word out before the first one is even passed his lips, Louis has never heard him speak so fast. 

  

"I didn’t say I wanted to go," Louis says as he picks up his fork "what are we eating?" He asks, watching as Harry's face softens into a smile  

  

Harry tells them what they are eating, explains to Louis that apart from chicken he didn’t really know what Louis liked. The more Louis thinks about it, thinks about things like that, he actually doesn’t know that much about Harry and his personal likes. See he knows about work and family, but none of the things that really make him who he is, the small things.  

    
They had been sneaking around so long that they forgot about the normal things, the things that most people get to know before jumping into bed with eachother.  

  

"What's your favourite colour?" Louis asks, interrupting Harry   

  

"Oh erm... I don’t know? I don’t really have one" he shrugs  

  

"I knew you was going to say that," Louis laughs "You always look good in pink," he tells him  

  

"oh... you think?"  Louis watches as Harry's cheeks turn a delicious rose colour, he’s so easily flustered  

  

"Yeah, you have that shirt, the pink polka dot one? That hangs so well on you... but what doesn’t," Louis laughs "I mean look at you, you're like fucking sex on legs! I know I have said it before but you really are Mick Jagger reincarnated,"   

  

"oh, like you're one to talk? After you walk in here like that?" Harry says pointing his knife at Louis who rolls his eyes  

  

"Yeah, I mean it's basically straight of the runway? Do you like? Mate I haven't even brushed my hair" Louis points out before finishing the wine in his glass  

  

"You make it work... that’s not me just saying that, honestly, it's true! You always look so fucking good! " Harry says and Louis believes that he means it. The way his eyes fall on Louis turn him to mush  

  

"So," Louis says with a nod  

  

"So," Harry repeats "I hear that you're not going to Ireland now?" Louis sighs with a nod "I'm sorry," Harry tells him   

  

"God, no, don’t be! I mean I'm fucking gutted for the girls obviously, but me? I never wanted to go in the first place. I never wanted to leave, any of this," He says. What he means is _you_. I never wanted to leave  _you_.  

  

"I'm glad you're staying, I know Olivia will be glad Bailey isn't going," He tells Louis "She kept pretending she was fine with it, but all her songs have been a bit depressing lately," He laughs "but like, not just for Liv though..." He pauses to finish the wine in his glass like he is looking for liquid confidence "me too – like I'm glad you're not going," His eyes don’t meet Louis’ 

  

"Yeah? Any reason in particular?" Louis nudges his foot under the table, Harry going all shy on him somehow giving him confidence to mock him little   

    
"Lou," He sighs "Don’t!" He warns gently and Louis can't help but laugh     
  

"I only asked!" He says holding his hands up "come on, tell me" His voice lowers as he leans in t Harry a little   

  

 **Stars – Simply Red**     

  

He leans forward into Harry's space ever so slightly and Harry can't control the pace of his heart. Can't stop it from thumping against his chest as he tries to keep a hold of his breathing. Louis eyes sparkle up at him as he grins, it's like he knows exactly what he is doing.  

  

He puts his knife and fork on top of one and another on his plate and sighs once more. It feels like that’s all he's done tonight.    
   
He has so many things he wants to say, yet not a single way to say it. He doesn’t know how to get the words from his brain and out into the open. Louis stares at him expectantly, his eyebrow arching when Harry doesn’t say anything.  

  

He moves his hand over to Harry's poking the back of it with his finger before running his thumb over it "can I say something? Seeing as though you’ve suddenly become a mute?" Louis laughs  

  

"ok" Harry mumbles  

 

“I didn’t think about what I was saying when I came here last time, the girls had literally just told me, I was doing that thing that kids do when they don’t get their own way, I was basically stamping my feet and complaining!”  

 

“You are a child though so it makes sense!” Harry says and Louis can see he is trying to lighten the mood  

 

“I didn’t think about it Harry, if I had of done, if I had even just slept on it then it would have been different I can guarantee that! No, I couldn’t have done long distance, I still stand by that because it would have killed me, I love you and I didn’t want to be that far apart from you! I just wish it hadn't have gone the way it did!”  

 

“I get all that, I get that you didn’t think and that you didn’t want to do long distance, neither did I! I just sort of felt like you just came here and didn’t give me a choice or a say and I sort of thought we were different than that,” His voice is low and Louis hates that he was the one that did that 

 

“I know that I’m back and god I hope that it will be ok, but I was just scared, from the second they said it! And then tonight,” 

 

“Tonight?” Harry asks  

  

"I was terrified of coming here tonight especially after Bailey said you had a date. I was so worried I would bump into you looking... well looking like that," Louis laughs, letting his eyes travel down the top half of Harry's body before bringing them back up to his eyes  

    
"When I got back from Ireland and I knew I wasn’t going I could have text you, could have asked you to go for a drink" He says  

  

"but you didn’t" Harry points out  

  

"but I didn’t!" He admits "I was terrified of that too," He laughs "I thought that we would talk, things might be ok and it would be good. But then I thought about it and I thought, fuck, what happens if somewhere down the line it fucks up again and I have to say goodbye to you, again! I wouldn't want that. So, I ignored the feeling in my stomach," He shrugs  

    
"Then I turned up here tonight and saw you like that. I thought you had a date with god knows who and I wasn’t scared. Even though the thought that had terrified me was playing out in front of my eyes! I just thought about getting home, getting changed and finding out where this date was, I was going to turn up in those jeans that you like and just stand at the bar," Louis eyes scrunch up as he laughs and Harry can't help join in  

  

"You wouldn’t have!" Harry laughs  

  

"No, no i probably wouldn’t... but that’s not the point, the point is I was scared for nothing! Even though it seemed like the worst possible thing that could happen, it would have been fine, I would have handled It in one way or another." Louis says, his thumb stroking across Harry's hand as he slides his fingers between Harry's  

  

"What are you saying?" Harry asks  

    
"I'm saying, that yeah this could fuck up in a week from now, in a month, even in a year... but I don’t know that, and if it does? I'll deal with it but I would rather try and have it blow up in my face than to sit at home sulking about it" Louis stops and bites his lips for a moment, like he's trying to find the right words  

  

"I'm sort of saying, well asking really, I guess... but would you, maybe, like to try?" Louis asks  

    
"Try what exactly?" Harry asks, knowing exactly what he means but just wanting to see the blush rise to his cheeks as he tries to explain. Louis rolls his eyes at him. 

    
"Can't believe you're going to make me say it," He pouts "Harry, would you do the incredible honour of being my boyfriend... like properly! No hiding, no sneaking about, proper dates and proper nights together?" Louis says and Harry can't help the way his smile spreads across his face  

  

"I don’t know, I'll have to think about it" He tells Louis with a smile, he laughs as his eyes narrow at him "I'm joking obviously! Of course I will you dick, just maybe don’t move to Ireland yeah?"   

  

Louis eyes narrow a little more, to the point they are almost closed and Harry can't help but just laugh at him.  

  

"Too soon?"   

  

"Too soon!" He says but the smile that Is creeping onto his face tells Harry he still finds it funny  

  

"I feel like I haven't seen you in fucking ages! It's only been 5 days – tell me everything I've missed!" Harry says picking his fork back up  

  

"I mean, you’ve probably seen Bailey more than me since we have been home so I'm sure she's told you anything there is to tell!"  

  

"I don’t think she liked to, I think she felt like she was betraying you if she did!"   

  

"you mean until she actually betrayed me?" Louis says with a laugh "I did get a new job though, so I guess that’s something you wouldn't know!"   

  

"What? Really? Doing what?" Harry asks, fork back on his plate as he rests his chin on his hand  

  

"It's at Pendleton college, I didn't want to jinx it so I didn't really mention it," he shrugs "The girls are leaving in a few weeks and I honestly don’t want to stay there without them! I know that's pretty sad, it's just... it's been a family thing for so long. It won't be the same without them, plus I've always wanted to teach older kids, kids who choose drama and not just tolerate it because they think it will be an easy pass, I'm actually already a professor, fully qualified... I just never did anything with it because of the girls!"   

  

He knows that when he says that, he doesn’t mean it in a way that suggests that they held him back. He knows how much he has loved working alongside the girls. He loves listening to Louis talk about work. He loves the way his face lights up, you can tell he loves doing what he does. No matter what he says.  

  

"So, from this September I will officially be a college Professor!"   

    
"Does that mean I have to call you sir?" Harry asks with a smirk  

  

"No, it fucking does not, call me sir and I swear you're never getting anywhere near me!"  

  

"noted," Harry laughs "But for the record you can call me sir anytime you like"   

  

He wants to ask a million questions. Ask if they will be ok, if they can be ok. Ask how this will work and how they will move forward, but Louis smiles at him. It’s the sort of smile that means something, like Louis can't find the words he wants so instead he just smiles. That’s when he realises, he doesn't care how long it takes or how they end up getting there, Harry is adamant they will spend the rest of their Lives together.  

  

  

**I Love You Always Forever – Donna Lewis**     

  

 **_8 months later_ **  

  

"I can't believe you're doing this" Louis said, hands over his face  

  

"I agree with Lou, I think this is a bad idea" Niall adds and Harry can't help but roll his eyes.  

  

Ever since Harry had introduced Louis and Niall they had basically become best mates. Anything Louis says or does Niall agrees with and vice versa so of course Niall would agree with Louis. They're are stood either side of him with a frown on their face, they're like children.  

  

"Sorry, I missed the point where I asked either of you for your opinion?" Harry says and Louis rolls his eyes  

  

"but you're going to regret it Harry, I know you are," Louis whispers, his hand on his shoulder  

  

"No Lou, you're just scared that you are going to regret me doing it," Harry laughs   

  

"Not at all, you know I'll love you whatever, it's just... it's your beautiful hair Harry, it's so pretty and long," Louis says wrapping a curl round his finger  

  

"Lou I'm going grey" he laughs "As much as I wish I wasn’t, I am... it's time for a change! Plus it will grow back wont it?" Harry states  

  

He had been dancing around the idea of cutting his hair for about a month now, everything time he suggested it Louis would grab him and kiss him while making a point of wrapping his fingers into the mop of curls.  

  

Harry would put it off a little while longer.  

    
This time though, this time he decided to do it. He wanted a change. He wanted something to make him feel fresh and new, his hair seemed like the way to go.  

  

"I think the grey suits you," Louis says a little too close to Harry ear for him to feel comfortable with them being out in public "I love you"  

  

"I love you too, but it's going! Now, either take Niall to the pub or go home!" Harry says  

    
"Take me to the pub? I'm not a child, I don’t need taking anywhere - I don’t need taking to the pub... on an unrelated note completely, I am sort of thirsty! Come on Lou, he can come crying to us when he is done," Niall says lifting his nose up at Harry as he grabs Louis arm.  

    
He watches them leave through the mirror as the woman behind him covers him with a cape, Louis pouts at him one last time before he disappears. Does he really want to do this? He loves his hair.   

  

"Are you ok?" The woman asks him with a sympathetic smile    
  

"Yeah, I know I am just being ridiculous! I want it cut," He says as upbeat as he can  

  

"It's not ridiculous! It will grow back though and i promise I'll make your new hair look just as wonderful," She says with a wink  

  

"God I hope so, my boyfriend is dreading this more than me," He says as he closes his eyes as she brings the scissors to it   

    
"There ya go" She says, handing him the ponytail she has snipped off "It’s a lovely thing you are doing, honestly!" She smiles  

  

He had first heard of the charity when a friend had been telling him that his wife had donated her hair. Since then he had it in the back of his head that this is what he wanted to do. He couldn’t think of anything else that he would want to do.   

  

The Princess Trust, that’s the charities name. People donate hair and they turn it into wigs for kids who have lost their hair due to medical conditions. He holds the hair in his hands as she snips away at the back, he can't believe that this is it. It's gone. He puts the hair in the small box he brought with him and he sits back up and closes his eyes once more.  

  

"There we are," She says a short time later, she had stopped cutting a while back and had been messing about with product "I have styled it like this but you can have it however you like. Whack a bit of product in your hand and push it off your face and you'll be good to go," She says, he opens his eyes one by one.  

  

The short walk to the pub was agonising. He keeps stopping and looking in windows or anything that he can see his refection in. He loves it. He didn’t think he would, he thought that he would be unsure for a day or so until he got used to it. But he loves it. He feels like he looks 10 years younger.  

    
He takes a deep breath as he pushes the door to the pub open. The first set of eyes he sees is Niall's. He stops talking and stares at Harry, mouth open and eyes wide. He shakes he head as he steps closer. 

  

"hi" He says as he gets to the table, Niall still staring   

    
"Just tell me if I can turn around Ni!" Louis says rather dramatically   

  

"just turn around you bell," Harry says poking him in the back   

  

"Fine but if I cry then yo- oh holy shit," Louis says stepping back from Harry "wow..." He says, moving his fingers to the side of Harry's head, pushing the tiny bit of hair behind his ear "oh wow," He repeats  

    
"Can you give me more?" Harry asks cautiously  

  

"You look, I mean don't get me wrong, you know I think you're the hottest person i have ever met," Louis says and Harry frowns expecting the worst "You look..."  

  

"You haven't finished one sentence yet Louis," Harry's voice is low  

  

"You look so good, like... incredible! I loved your hair... I didn't think you could get any better!" Louis huffs out a laugh "You look incredible and I honestly cannot wait to get you home," He smirks  

    
"I hate when you both forget I'm here, like hello, I'm not exactly hard to miss!" Niall says throwing a beer mat at the back of Louis head  

  

"Sorry... and I'm also sorry that we are ditching you!" Harry says   

    
"What? No! You can't just leave me here to drink alone," Niall sighs dramatically   

  

"I'm not leaving you alone for Christ sake! Lou had already text Zayn, right?" He asks Louis to double check   

    
"I did, he will be here in like 5 mins and then we are off, otherwise I'm going to end up getting done for public indecency!" He says  

  

"God, I hate you both! Haz your hair looks shit and I hope one of you can't get hard!" He says as he pushes himself out of the booth to go up to the bar  

  

"Bagsy not being the one who isn't able to get hard," Louis says raising his hand with a grin  

  

They laugh as he walks away, Louis pulling Harry down next to him in the booth, his head between his hands just looking at him, a soft smile on his face. 

  

"I know I said I wasn’t worried, but I really was!" Louis tells him, bringing their foreheads together "I know it's only hair but you suited it ya know? I wasn’t expecting you to look like this though!"   

  

"And what exactly is that?" Harry asks gently, eyes narrowed slightly  

    
"No, don’t look at me like that, it’s a good thing I promise! God it’s a great thing, you look so good, you look like... I don’t know, like you're 25 or some shit!"   

  

"Does that make me your toy boy?" He laughs   

  

"Yes! Do you have any idea how old I feel right now? You're there rocking the fuck out of whatever the fuck this is and I'm slowly turning into Phillip Fucking Schofield" he says pulling at his own hair, Harry has always loved Louis hair.   

  

It's like his head forgot that he is no longer a teenager and still keeps it the way he always has, short back and sides, but his hair hasn’t forgot and the soft grey hairs peak through his mahogany. It's hotter than Harry thought it ever could be.   

  

"I have this thing though Lou, always wanted myself a silver fox!" He waggles his eyebrows and Louis rolls his eyes   

  

"You're ridiculous!"   

  

"Yeah but you love me, come on, admit it! You looovvveee me, you wanaaaaa kissss meeeee!" He whispers into Louis ear like the child that he is   

  

"yes, Harry you're right, I love you, I want to kiss you, I want to mar-" Louis freezes next to Harry, not moving pint glass resting on his lips "I erm," he coughs "I want to murder you?" He asks with his eyebrow raised as he turns to a grinning Harry  

  

"You want to marry me Lou? That what you were going to say?" Harry asks teasing, he has known for the longest time now that he wanted to marry him. Call him crazy, everyone else does, he just knows.   

  

**I Choose You –** **Sara**   **Bareilles**     

  

They had decided a while back that they were going to move in together, it was hard at first with the girls. Olivia and Bailey had decided that they liked each other better as friends. It was crazy for Louis and Harry to watch, they both handled it perfectly and it made them sort of hate themselves for thinking that they wouldn’t be able to.  They just sort of smiled and got on with it.  

  

So, the first few weeks it was a bit of an adjustment. They had both sold their houses and bought somewhere to fit everyone in, there had been more arguments than enough, then Mr Snuggles decided he hated Sir Long John Silver and Olivia and Bonnie clashed a lot, like a  _lot,_  over clothes more than anything, Bailey always kept out. Like she felt bad taking either side, which Bonnie hated. At one-point Harry thought they had made a mistake, they thought they were going to regret it, they had sold their houses though and it wasn’t that simple.  

  

No wonder he was starting to go grey.  

  

It was 3 weeks before Christmas when things changed. He had been shopping and come home to find Olivia comforting Bonnie over a boy... Louis didn’t know, it’s a good job. Harry had gotten angry enough for the pair of them. He had tried to help, but it became clear he wasn’t needed, Olivia had it sorted and Bailey had nipped out to pick up snacks - they had a girls night planned. He found Mr Snuggles curled up next to Sir Long John Silver's cage while he whistled at him... everything seemed peaceful.  

    
Louis had finally, after weeks of Harry nagging, unpacked the last of his boxes and everyone was in. It was a home. Finally.  

  

Louis had walked in the door not long after Harry had finished unpacking the shopping, always did have impeccable timing that boy. The girls had gone upstairs and it was just them. He looked tired and grumpy as he climbed onto the kitchen side with a pout   

  

"I hate my job" he moans "Honestly, I just want to sleep here and never ever go back to work! I don't want to have to see another child or mark another fucking paper and for the love of god - - what's wrong? Do I have something on my face?" He asks harry who is staring at him 

  

"I'm going to marry you!" Harry says with a grin "God knows when, but I am... just letting you know. Chilli ok for tea?"   

  

"you wana... What?" Louis asks jumping down off the side  

    
"Chilli, you ok with chilli for tea?" He asks, pushing the fringe off Louis forehead   

  

"Yeah, I want that... chilli, I want the chilli" he says   

  

**True Companion – Marc Cohn**   

  

 

"Fuck off!" Louis says finishing the last of his pint   

  

"You were going to say it, go on, I know you want to!" Harry says poking him in the side   

  

And Louis wanted to, he wanted to tell everyone he wanted to marry Harry, but he had sort of been planning it. For a while now actually. He wanted to surprise him, take him somewhere fancy, just the two of them, quiet and peaceful. He had been carrying the ring around in his pocket for weeks, scared that Harry would be tidying up after him and he would find it.  

  

But he looks at him right now and he wonders why he waited. Why did it matter where and when he asked him? In the grand scheme of things, having a pretty background wasn’t going to change his answer, if he wanted to marry him he wanted to marry him no matter where it was.  

  

Olivia knew. He sort of felt like he needed to ask her permission. She had told him he needed to do it there and then. Obviously, he just rolled his eyes.  

    
But now he's wondering why he didn’t.  Why does it matter? 

  

He puts his glass back on the table and slides his hand into his jacket that’s resting behind Harry's head  

  

"Fine," he whispers "you want me to say it?" He asks and Harry is nodding, grin plastered on his face "Don’t say I didn’t warn you though!"   

  

Harry looks confused as Louis sighs   

  

"There are a million ways I could have done this and no this isn't the most romantic but honestly I'm tired of trying to make it romantic, I just want to say it, I want to... Look, I'm shit at this sort of thing, you know that, I'm not naturally romantic!"  He grabs his jacket from behind Harry, fishing  

  

"What are you doing?" Harry asks, eyes slightly widened  

  

"I'm doing a fucking terrible job is what I'm doing," He says with a laugh "but, Harry, I've known since the second I met you that this wasn't just something, I knew that this was it, you're it, I want to know, if you'll have me, for better or worse and all that, like I mean it! If you had of looked like shit today I wouldn’t have cared, if you really can't get hard when we get home, if we have to face a million more arguments with the girls, I don’t care, I want the boring stuff with you - I want the fun stuff with you, like I just want everything and I mean  _everything_ Harry, I just want to know if you'll marry me?"  

  

Harry is crying and Louis hates it, even though he can see the small smile on his lips, he hates seeing him cry. He's such a dramatic crier!  

    
"Babe, I know I'm usually good at this sort of thing, but could you like help me out?" He asks wiping away a few of the tears that trickle down his face "Are these goods tears?"  

  

"You say that you're not romantic!" Harry sobbed "This is … just like,"   

  

"It's me proposing in a pub love, it's hardly the top of the tower or something!" He laughs   

  

"it's perfect," He whispers "I just... I didn’t think, I thought that you were going to mock me and then... god how can you say you're not romantic when you say shit like that to me!" He laughs slapping Louis chest   

  

"Does that mean?" He holds the ring a little closer to him  

  

"Are you kidding? Of course, it does!! I love you, have done for a long time and honestly, fuck Louis!" He lets Louis slide the ring on his finger, bottom lip between his teeth as he does "I fucking love you Louis Tomlison!" He launches himself at Harry, pushing him back into the booth their lips coming together, salt from Harry's teas lingering as Louis cups his face  

  

"for Christ sake I think I preferred dull Dave, you never got this sort of PDA with dull Dave and oh my god you fucking did it didn't you?!" Zayn says as he joins the booth with Niall, a grin stretched across his face almost as big as Harry's as he pulls himself away from Louis  

  

"What did you do?" Niall says   

  

Neither of them say anything, they just laugh. Like it's the funniest thing they have ever heard  

    
"Are you just going to do that creepy laugh or are you going to tell me?" Niall says with a frown   

  

Harry doesn’t say anything, he just holds his hand up as Zayn pulls out his phone   

  

"Oh my fucking god! You sneaky little bastard! Why did Zayn know but I didn’t!" Niall says   

  

"He sort of helped me with the ring... it's, well it was, my mums jewellery," Louis says softly, Zayn looks like he is about to cry and Harry has frozen next to him   

  

"It's what?" He asks softly  

  

"When she died, she left us all some stuff, left a bunch of stuff for the girls, Lottie got her wedding rings, but she left me the jewellery she had when I was growing up, I used to love it on her, she had like a story for each piece, it was what made her, her ya know? I don’t use it, it was just in a box and i wanted to do something that meant something with it, and i know my mum would love you" He laughs  

  

"She would!" Zayn says holding up his glass "You are exactly who she would have wanted him with, I can tell you that now!" This time he isn't able to stop himself from crying   

  

"Are you serious?" Harry asks  

    
"Yeah, is that... is that ok?"   

  

"Lou... I... you really want me to have it?"   

  

"Are you kidding? I plan on staying with you until the day I die. I wouldn’t have it on anyone else"  

    
"oh for fuck sake," Niall says "Now you got me!" He tells them as he starts to cry  

  

Harry looks down at his hand, ring shining proudly up at him. It's not just a ring, it's not just something Louis saw and thought he might like. It's part of his past, his mum, his life, it's him truly bringing Harry into his life.  

  

"this feels right," Louis says with a soft kiss over the ring on Harry's finger "Like this feels like the start of forever"  

  

"Fuck sake, and you say you're not romantic!" Harry tells him, pulling him back up to kiss him "Let's go home, please?"  

  

"What?" Zayn says "You're not going to stay and celebrate? You're part of the family now!"   

  

"I will, I promise, we will! Tomorrow? We can all go out, girls too, I just... sort of want him to myself for a bit!"  

  

Both Niall and Zayn shake their head as they smile. It's nice. It's so nice.  

    
"come one!" Harry says, holding his hand out to Louis "let's go home!"   

  

 **When I'm 64 – The Beatles**     

   

The drive back home is quiet, Harry doesn’t think he's ever been speechless. But right now, all he can do is look down at his hand and smile. He looks over at Louis, a smile playing on his lips as he drives.   

  

This is his life. He gets this man forever. He doesn't know what he did to get this lucky.  

  

"As if we met on tinder" Harry says with a laugh "I thought you was catfishing me you know?"   

  

"Shut up, really?" Louis asks, glancing over at him  

  

He looks at him, like properly. The crow's feet that surround his eyes sit deep on his skin, he loves them. It shows how often he has smiled in his life, that proper smile that reaches his eyes. He scrunches them up so tight as he grins. His stubble starting to grey under his chin makes him look like so sort of distinguished Hollywood actor that would play James Bond, he's small and soft but thinks he's big and hard. Harry loves everything about him  

  

"yeah, you didn’t want to send me a picture! I thought it was just my luck, you looked so hot in your pictures and you seemed nice, I just thought you were playing me, then you sent me that picture," He whistles as he sits back in his seat, thinking back to the day that he had opened the text from Louis  

  

"I looked like shit!" Louis points out  

  

"You looked tired, I had never seen anyone look so good while looking tired! Plus, you had your glasses on and you know I have a thing for you in your glasses!" Harry tells him   

  

"Yeah, I know, you just want a personal assistant, I'm not stupid!" Louis grins  

    
"God, don’t! The thought of you as my secretary gets me hard!" He admits    
   
"oh fuck off"    
  

"It's true! I've thought about it way too many times" He winks   

  

"actually, funny you should say that, I picked something up the other day" Louis tells him with a smirk that Harry has seen many a time  

  

"what did you do?" He sits up in his seat a little   

    
"I may or may not have gone shopping without you and picked up some things for me to put on so you can take them off!" He grins as they pull in and Harry feels like he is going to fair   

    
"What the fuck are you doing to me mannn!" He groans   

    
"We have the house to ourselves for the night, so I was hoping that you could actually do me, man!" He tells Harry as he climbs out of the car   

    
"You're going to kill me!" Harry shouts after him   

  

"I hope not, I'm sort of fond of you, fiancé! Come on, let's get in!" He says wrapping his hand around Harry's.  

  

**Marry You – Bruno Mars**     

  

Harry can't help the way his eyes constantly move down to the ring. It wasn’t something he had given a lot of thought to until he met Louis. He had never really been big on marriage for himself, sure he love weddings, he was great at them, booze and doing 'Oops upside your head' before fighting off a bridesmaid for the bouquet? Yes please.   

  

For himself though? He never thought he would be with someone he would feel a  _need_ to get married. He always thought it didn’t change anything for him, that one day wouldn’t change how he felt about someone.   

  

Then he met Louis.  

    
It was stupid things at first, like picturing them growing old together. He thought maybe marriage should be something he had to think about to get that, like they went hand in hand. He realised they didn’t though, he knew he wanted to be with Louis – marriage and being together forever weren't mutually exclusive. That’s when he realised he  _wanted_ to. He wanted to stand in front of his friends and family, show everyone how much he loved Louis. He wanted them to have rings that belonged to each other, something physical to have of each other when they were apart. He wanted the feeling of having Louis, of being family. For real.  

  

He wanted the good and the bad. He wanted the grumpy sleepy Louis and the hot as fuck Louis. He wanted the sickness and health. The richer and poorer. The for better or worse. He wanted to promise him all of those things.   

  

And now they're getting them. It doesn’t even need to be big. Just somewhere small and private, family and the few real friends that they have.  

  

"I need to get you a ring!" He tells Louis as the get into the hose  

    
"No, you don’t!" He laughs  

  

"I do!" Harry says before giggling like a child "I do!" He repeats while looking down at his ring "I do, Lou! I want you to have a ring"  

  

"Babe I don’t need a ring, you know I'm not a massive ring fan, I will have my wedding ring and that’s all I need!" He says with a quick kiss on the lips  

  

"that’s going to be so hot ya know? You never wear rings! Gona have to make sure you just give me lots of hand jobs so I can see the ring while you do!" Harry tells him   

  

"you're a strange boy you know that Harry Styles!" Louis says, his smile bright  

  

"Tomlinson? Harry Tomlinson?" He asks  

  

"You want to take Tomlinson?" Louis asks, genuinely surprised  

  

"I do!" Harry says, laughing once more  

  

"That’s going never going to get old is it?"   

  

"No, it's hilarious!"  

  

"I just thought maybe we would like hyphenate... Tomlinson-Styles? Maybe?"  Louis tells him, wrapping his himself around Harry's waist  

    
"you want Styles?" He asks  

  

"Yeah? I mean we are getting married! As much as I would love you to just take my name, as great as it would sound, I don’t see why you have to lose your name? And I would love to be part of the Styles clan!" Harry looks down at Louis smiling up at him   

  

"yeah?"  

  

"Yeah! We are two families coming together it makes sense doesn’t it?" Louis tells him and it does. It really does.  

  

"Harry Tomlinson-Styles … I like it, got quite the ring to it! I can see it on the cover now, all fancy and embossed"  

  

"you're a weird one! It's lucky I love you!"   

  

"Don't think I've forgotten about what you said in the car you know!" Harry says with a squeeze if Louis hips  

  

He doesn’t say anything. He just smirks up at Harry, his eyes twinkle in the mischievous way they do when he is planning something.   

  

"Didn't you say you had some work to do in your office?" Louis says tilting his head to the side   

  

"No?" He asks confused   

  

"You did, go on and I'll be right in with your coffee, sir" He smirks at Harry as his eyebrows shoot up  

  

"I fucking hate you!"   

  

"So you don't want I have for you? That’s fine, I'm sure someone will" He shrugs, smirk still on his face   

  

"I didn’t say that now did it, it just so happens that I do have work to do!"   

 

 

**Only Girl in the World - Rihanna**   

Harry sinks down into his desk chair a little, twirling a pen between his fingers as he watches the ring sparkle as it catches the light, sending bright splashes across the room. 

 

He’s engaged.  

 

To Louis. 

 

He feels his heart beat a little heavier as a smile grows on his lips. He never thought it would be Louis who asked, he never thought Louis would get there. Would get to the same point Harry was at. He just didn’t think Louis wanted marriage and if he did Harry really didn’t think he was ready to admit it. 

 

He looks around the room, around his office – the office he has spent a lot of the last few months in writing his new novel. Not once had Louis complained about the time he spent in here or the time of day it was! If they hadn’t gotten to see each other properly Louis would just find a spot in Harry’s office as he worked and he would sit and mark papers, just being there, being alongside each other was enough because Louis got it. 

 

There is a knock against his door, he sits up straight, for a moment forgetting whey he came up here. 

 

“Come in!” He shouts  

 

“Mr styles,” Louis says with a nod as he slowly walks in tray in his hands “I brought you your coffee!” his glasses are perched on the end of his nose and Harry feels his mouth go dry as his eyes take down his body  

 

Louis has a crisp white shirt on, a shirt that is fit so snuggly he’s never left the house in it but he knows Harry loves the way it clings to his waist, almost giving the impression that it’s cinching him in, in the same way a corset would. His trousers somehow seem even tighter than his shirt, cutting off abruptly above his ankles.  

 

He can see every single cure of Louis body. Every soft line ebbing and flowing into the next as he sashayed across the room. 

 

“Thank you,” Harry whispers and that’s when it hits him, the delicate pretty smell that follows Louis. 

 

They had been shopping together when Harry saw it, it was a perfume bottle like none other. It was so pretty to look at that he knew how good it was going to smell before he actually had a chance to smell it. Was expensive too!  

 

He had told Louis that it would smell so good on him. The peonies and black currant notes mixing with Louis own scent would work so, so well together. Harry just knew it. 

 

And he wasn’t wrong. 

 

“So that’s what you bought?” Harry asks, eyebrow raised as Louis sets the tray on the table in front of him with a shrug  

 

“One of the things, sir,” he knows how much Harry loves hearing him call him sir. It had been a joke a first, he meant it as a  _joke_. Only there was nothing funny about how hard he had gotten. 

 

“Why don’t you enlighten me then?” He crosses his hands across his laps as he sits back in his chair once more. 

 

He watches Louis moves away from the desk and back towards the door. He locks it's slowly before standing with his back against it “just in case,” he says as he brings his lip into his mouth – god Harry loves him. 

 

“Very smart,” he nods to Louis as he stands from his chair, my moving to the front of his desk so he can rest back on it “Come here,” his voice is low and soft but there is something about the way he says it that he knows Louis loves. 

 

He rests his hands on his hips as he steps in front of him and it’s… it’s a lot!  

 

“You’re so hot! Can’t believe I get to keep you forever,” his voice is barely a whisper, it’s so quiet he isn’t even sure he’s said it. 

 

He kisses Louis, hands either side of his face as he teases his tongue against his. He feels Louis arch into the kiss as he brings his hands up towards where Harry’s are resting. Wrapping his fingers around the ones currently pushed into his waist and bringing them down to cup his arse. It takes Harry a few seconds to realise what he is feeling.  

 

“Are you…” He asks looking down at Louis who lightly blushes up at him with a nod “fucking hell, hands against the desk please,” He tells him after a moment of starring. 

 

He moves his lips against Louis neck as he pushes himself against him, he can already feel himself getting harder and so can Louis if the way he grinds himself back is anything to go by. He moves his hands round to the front of Louis, unbuttoning his shirt as he runs his tongue across his neck softly  

 

“So good for me,” he mutters “always so good! So pretty and so fucking good,” he tells him as he slides the shirt off his shoulders 

 

Somewhere along the way he found out that Louis like being called both good, and pretty! It’s not like he was shocked… but yeah he was a little shocked! To look at him he didn’t normally scream either of those things. Apart from when he was alone with Harry. 

 

“Only for you, sir,” Louis says and Harry can’t help but bury his face into Louis neck as he groans, digging his fingers into his hips “always you,” Louis adds 

 

Harry moves his fingers to the front of Louis trousers, grazing his fingers over the bulge forming at the front of him. Louis whimpers once as he sinks his teeth into his neck as he takes the zip down.  

 

Harry takes a step back as Louis tugs the trousers down the rest of the way, turning to face Harry. 

 

“Fuck,” He whispers  

 

The stocking cut off mid thigh, the black lace pressed softly into the part of Louis skin that Harry loves to leave marks on. The part of his skin that isn’t seen by anyone else but the two of them. His fingers press against the lace as his eyes meet Louis. He’s never going to get over this, over the way he feels.  

 

It’s a small thing, lingerie, he’s never been with anyone where it is as a thing. It never really  _did_  anything for him! That sort of happened as a joke to begin with too! Louis had ordered some things online and they had accidentally sent a pair of white laced French knickers along with his order. Harry told him to put them on, as a joke. Only 5 minutes later it wasn’t funny. They fit Louis like they were made for him, Harry could see how much confidence he had gained just from sliding them on! They framed his arse perfectly and Harry was hooked. 

 

So too, it would seem, was Louis!  

 

“I thought I’d try something new… do you like?” Louis asks, turning back around and Harry can’t help the growl that rolls off his tongue  

 

Today Louis has gone for a thong. A black lace thong with panels of leather lined with ribbon.  

 

“Do you have any idea how good you look?” Harry asks as he pushes Louis back towards the desk, “wana get my mouth on you, god I  _need_  to get my mouth on you lou,” 

 

“Please sir,” Louis moans  

 

Harry drops to his knees behind him, leaving gentle kisses on the backs of Louis thighs as his hands grab at his cheeks. Louis pushes himself back a little further and Harry is gone. He swears he could stay like this forever. 

 

“Wana keep these on!” Harry tells him, as he moves the thong out of the way ever so slightly. Just enough for him to spread Louis cheeks groaning at the sight of him. He can feel himself harden, straining against his jeans. 

 

He presses his face forward, tongue moving across Louis hole once, he falls against his hands on the desk, moaning as Harry moves his tongue back over him. He squeezes the meaty flesh of Louis cheeks in his hands as he uses his tongue on him.  

 

“Fuck,” Louis groans, slapping his hand down on the desk in front of him and it gets to Harry, feeling him push back against him, hearing him moan as Harry uses his fingers and his tongue to open him up, open his fiancé up. 

 

He’s done this time and time again, it’s one of his favourite things to do, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love it. Doesn’t crave it, the taste of him, the smell. Everything.

 

”need you to fuck me babe, I’m ready, I swear I just need you! Needed you since the second I saw you walk back into the pub,” his voice sounds half gone, Harry knows he is seconds away from begging him and normally he would push for it, have him begging before he gives him what he wants. Today he can’t, today he needs him 

 

“I got you,” he stands up behind Louis, his hands on his hips, squeezing ever so slightly “always got you,”

 

he teases two fingers against his hole once more before he eases himself in, Louis tight and warm around him, it’s never going to stop being everything he needs. He goes slowly, Louis pushing back against him like he needs more.

 

”please,” his voice is no more than a whisper as he whines 

 

“So pretty, So fucking beautiful,” his lips are against his neck as he fucks him, whispering to him “you’re mine,” 

 

“god yes yours!” He can hear it in his voice, he knows that he isn’t going to last long, he can hear him teetering on the edge like he’s been needing it, craving it for weeks. 

 

His fingers dig into Louis side a little harder, needing to see those delicious little red marks they leave behind. Not hard enough to bruise but hard enough that his skin practically glows.

 

He falls forward onto the desk in front of him as Harry picks up the pace, he’s going to come untouched, he can feel it, it’s not something that happens often, but when it does it’s almost magical!

 

”you close baby? Close from just my cock? So tightly wound today aren’t you?” Harry pants, pushing himself a little further “what was it?” He asks “the new hair that you loved so much? Or was it the proposal?” Louis gasps as he talks 

 

“the proposal then? Fuck couldn’t believe it,” he groans “my beautiful, so fucking beautiful boyfriend asking me because you want it don’t you, want me to be your husband, wana spend your life with me! Wake up next to me every day! Have me fuck you into the mattress every night,” Louis is practically sobbing under him, he feels it pooling in his stomach 

 

“you’re mine and I get to keep you, fuck Louis you’re going to make the perfect groom,” he growls “wear my ring, share my name, fuck, fuck, Louis Tomlinson-Styles,” 

 

“oh god yes,” Louis cries out, coming under Harry, cock pressed against the desk “yours, yours!” 

 

Harry isn’t far behind him, spilling deep inside him, falling forward, his chest pressed against his back as he tries to get his breath back. He slowly pulls out, his fingers gently running up Louis back.

 

”come here,” he whispers turning him round, pulling him down to the floor with him. They should go to bed, or even to the couch. They don’t. Louis curls up next to Harry, still unable to say anything. He just smiles up at Harry as he brushes the hair out of his face “I love you so fucking much Lou,” Louis is still smiling as his eyes start to flutter shut. 

 

Today is is a good day.

 

 

**Wake Me Up – Ed Sheeran**   

The room is quiet save from Harry’s soft breathes against the side of his face. He smiles as he watches him sleep. He really should wake up him, move them both of this floor before it fucks up his back more than it already is. 

 

“Baby,” He says with a gentle shake of his shoulder “H, love, wake up... come on let’s go get in bed,” he kisses his forehead as he slowly opens his eyes  

 

“God I ache!” He groans as he rolls into Louis arms “like all over! Whose idea was it to fall asleep on the floor?” He groans turning onto his side  

 

“Might have been yours that baby,” he kisses across his shoulders as Harry groans again “come on! Let’s go get snuggled up!”  

   
“I love when you wake me up,” Harry tells him  

   
“Yeah? I hate it when you wake me up!” Louis tells him with a small laugh, he brushes the strands of hair that have fallen onto his forehead away, “You're incredibly beautiful, has anyone ever told you that?”  

 

“Yeah, my fiancé tells me all the time, sorry, but I’m spoken for!” He tells Louis holding up his hand and he is. They are getting married.  

 

He doesn’t even want to think about life without Harry would have been like, but he knows for a fact that he wouldn’t have been this happy. It’s impossible. 

   
“He sounds like a very lucky man, come on, up!”  

 

He pulls himself up frost, holding his hand out for Harry, helping up to his feet.  

 

He looks a state. But Louis favourite kind of state. His new – beautiful hair is stuck up in a million directions. Soft purple bruises scattered across his collarbone, his boxers just about covering him and his face still half asleep. 

 

Louis aches too. They both know they’re too old for falling asleep on the floor after sex! Their muscles seize up the second they fall asleep, they really should stop doing it! They won't, but they should! 

 

“Go get in bed, gona grab us some water and I’ll be right up!” Harry kisses him on the top of his head with a nod and a quick yawn. 

 

Louis makes his way to the kitchen, he’s never going to get used to the feeling he gets as he walks through their house. Sure it had to be a big house because they’re a big family, combining their money gave them something great too. Louis just can’t get over how perfect it is. It’s everything that’s the two of them are. The dark sideboards that Louis had picked out are littered with Harry’s things, pretty flowers and fairy lights in vases. That but Louis never really got, he didn’t care though. 

 

He ignores the water in the fridge, reaching for the bottle of “emergency” champagne! Louis had picked it up when Harry sent the first edit of his novel over to the publisher, he knows how talented he is and he knows it was only going to be a matter of time before it was completed. He wanted to be prepared. Somehow, today seems like a better day to drink it. 

 

He grabs two champagne glasses from the top cupboard and smiles to himself as he makes his way back upstairs.  

 

Harry is spread out across the bed, phone in his hand and a smile on his face. God he’s beautiful! “Thought we could crack this open?” 

 

“ooh fancy! I thought that was for emergencies!” Harry asks as Louis opens the bottle 

   
“It was an emergency, my soon to be husband should definitely have champagne in bed and he didn’t... emergency!” He says with a shrug 

 

“Husband,” Harry repeats, looking down at his ring the same way that Louis has caught him doing randomly since he asked him  

 

“Yep, husband,” he slides in bed next to him handing him a glass, “I can't believe I get to keep you forever!” He means it, he thinks about it every day, every morning he gets to wake up next to him or every morning he comes down and he is cooking breakfast for everyone, he has to step back and remind himself that not only did he pick Harry, Harry picked  _him._  

 

“As if you could ever get rid of me, I like it here with you too much,” His hand is just resting on Louis thigh “Just us and the girls...” Harry pauses as if he’s remembered something and he looks over at Louis “The girls!” 

 

“The girls?” He asks  

   
“What will they say? Oh my god I can't believe we did this without them, shit Louis what if they hate the idea?” He wants to laugh, he really shouldn’t but he does. He knows that the girls will be happy. They love him! Olivia already knows, he doesn’t tell him that. 

   
“They won't! But, lets meet them tomorrow, go for a few drinks like we promised Zayn? We will meet them first? Let them all know?” Harry nods, he doesn’t look sure.  

 

Louis is positive he has never been more sure of anything. 

 

**How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding**   

Harry is nervous. More nervous than he ever thought he would be. It has only just dawned on him that the twins might not want him around. Might not want him to be part of the family. Sure, they seem ok with him at the minute, marriage is different though. They have been the only people in Louis’ life for so long. 

 

He can't stop his leg from jigging up and down as he bites his thumb. Even Louis hand on his knee doesn’t help. If anything, it makes it worse. They are meeting the girls an hour before they planned on meeting Zayn. They want to tell them properly, answer any questions they have before they can actually celebrate. Harry doesn’t say it out loud, but it's also time enough to cancel the celebratory drinks if it goes badly. 

 

Oh god, what if it goes badly. What if he has to turn into the wicked step-mother. He doesn’t want that. It seems like that would be something that would take up way too much of his time.  

 

He sees them walk in together and his heart rate picks up, they're all laughing about something and he isn't sure what he is supposed to say. The first thing he wants to do it point out that he definitely knows that Bailey and Olivia are back together. He's seen the way they look at each other, he isn't stupid. He doesn’t know if Louis has noticed though. He will keep it to himself in case he needs some leverage when convincing them to let him marry their dad.  

   
“Oh wow, your hair looks so good!!” Olivia says rushing towards them both  

 

“The pictures don’t do it justice!!” Bailey adds and no, no he can't think about his hair right now. The girls turn to Louis when Harry doesn’t respond. He needs to snap himself out of it.  

 

"Helloooo," Louis says, pulling them all in for a hug together. Harry follows his lead and joins in. God he is so awkward when he wants to be "How's your night been?" 

 

"Same as always," Olivia shrugs "Glad I'm home tonight though, mum was driving me mad!" She tells Louis and Harry sees it. Whether they are married or not, they're already a family. Olivia is talking to Louis the same way he talks to the twins, he cares about them, it's more than that. He loves them. Loves having them in his life. Even if they are a pain in the arse at time. 

   
"We are getting married!" Harry blurts out, out of nowhere, everyone turns to look at him "I'm sorry I know we were going to do it together but I really don’t want this to change anything," He says turning to the twins "I love your dad, like so much! I love you two too! I love our family and I know it might be weird at first but I promise it will be so, so good! Plus, I know that you two are back together so it's not like you really have room to judge anyone for keeping secrets when it comes to relationships," He breathes out. Louis is rubbing his back as if he is trying to calm him down, Liv is doing her best to hold a laugh in and the twins just stare at him  

 

"That was... a lot!" Bonnie says before she slowly smiles "You're crazy to worry though!" She tells him with a shrug 

 

"Yeah, I mean, we knew It was coming right? Actually surprised it didn’t happen sooner! Let's see the ring then?" Bailey asks the two of them  

 

Harry just stares at them in disbelief, like he doesn’t know what to do. 

   
"You're not mad?" He asks  

   
"Why would we be mad? Harry, you're great! You make our dad happier than he has literally ever been! You're sweet, you care about us and you can cook! I'd have married you off with him the first day we met!" Bailey laughs Louis joins in behind him  

 

"Told you that you had nothing to worry about!" He gives Harry's knee a little squeeze "What's this about you two?" He asks both Bailey and Olivia who suddenly seem more interested in the corners of the table 

 

"Oh dad, you're so naïve!  _We just work better as friends"_  Bonnie says with a smirk 

 

"What?" Harry says "Are you saying you never... Oh my god how stupid are we?" He asks turning to Louis 

 

"I mean... you didn’t tell us you were going to get married..." Bailey says slowly like she's testing the waters to see how far she can push it  

 

"Don’t even try it! Did you think we would just never find out?" Louis asks her  

 

"Yes!" She says matter-of-factly 

 

"I mean, let's be honest, you have literally only just worked it out!" Bonnie says with a laugh "Anyway enough about these two, I want to hear everything! How did it happen? Do you have any plans? What did aunty Lots say?" 

 

Harry wants to be mad at the change of subject, he wants to talk about it not being the kind of thing you keep from your parents, but he can't. He can't stop the smile that spreads across his face at the mention of the wedding. He is going to be insufferable, he knows it, Louis knows it, neither of them cares. 

 

So, he tells them, tells them what Louis did. He knows that Louis doesn’t think it’s the most romantic thing in the world, but it is! He loved that he had thought about it for so long before realising it didn’t matter when or where he did it as long as Harry said yes. And the ring. God the ring.  

 

"Is it ok I did that without talking to you first? I know I probably should have because realistically it would have been left to you lot in the end?" Louis asks the twins "I just wanted it to mean something more than just a ring," He clarifies 

   
"God dad," Bonnie says, crying "You're kidding right? That’s... that’s amazing! I'm sure gran would have loved that, plus it's like she will be part of the day even though she isn't here," Both Bailey and Bonnie move round to Louis, wrapping their arms round him  

 

"Oh My God!" Bonnie says as she pulls herself back "You do realise that means we get to plan a wedding, right?" She says to both Bailey and Olivia  

   
"Please can we?" Olivia asks Harry and no. Absolutely nobody is taking this away from him. He just smiles  

 

"You can suggest, not plan!" He points at them and they all squeal at the same time, he sees Louis roll his eyes.  

 

They both know exactly how this is going to go and he can not wait.  


End file.
